Methods and systems for automatic electric vehicle identification and charging via wireless charging pads

ABSTRACT

A cloud system is configured to execute method operations for communicating with connected vehicles of users having user accounts with the cloud system. One example method includes receiving a signal from of an electric vehicle that is associated to a user account. The signal of the electric vehicle is received in response to the electric vehicle parking over a charging pad of a charging unit, and the charging unit is one of a plurality of charging units located in various geo-locations. The method includes sending instructions to the charging unit to enable initiation of charge transfer to a battery of the electric vehicle upon the cloud system confirming that the user account for the electric vehicle is enabled for automatic charging upon parking over said charging pad of the charging unit. The method includes receiving data from the charging unit indicative of a discontinuing of the charge transfer by the charging pad responsive to detecting that the electric vehicle is no longer parked over said charging pad.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/384,314, filed on Dec. 19, 2016 entitled “Methods And Systems ForElectric Vehicle (EV) Charge Units And Systems For ProcessingConnections To Charge Units After Charging Is Complete,” which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/281,892, filed onMay 20, 2014 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,545,853, issued on Jan. 17, 2017)entitled “Methods for Finding Electric Vehicle (EV) charge units, StatusNotifications and Discounts Sponsored by Merchants Local to ChargeUnits,” which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/797,974,filed on Mar. 12, 2013 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,180,783, issued on Nov. 10,2015), entitled “Methods and Systems for Electric Vehicle (EV) ChargeLocation Color-Coded Charge State Indicators, Cloud Applications andUser Notifications,” which claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/745,729, filed on Dec. 24, 2012, and entitled“Methods And Systems For Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging, ChargingSystems, Internet Applications And User Notifications,” which are allherein incorporated by reference.

U.S. application Ser. No. 13/797,974, filed on Mar. 12, 2013 (now U.S.Pat. No. 9,180,783, issued on Nov. 10, 2015) is a continuation-in-partof U.S. application Ser. No. 13/452,882, filed Apr. 22, 2012 (now U.S.Pat. No. 9,123,035, issued on Sep. 1, 2015), and entitled “ElectricVehicle (EV) Range Extending Charge Systems, Distributed Networks OfCharge Kiosks, And Charge Locating Mobile Apps”, which claims priorityto U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/478,436, filed on Apr. 22, 2011,all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

This Application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 15/290,430, filedon Oct. 11, 2016, entitled “Methods and Systems for Sending ContextualRelevant Content to Connected Vehicles and Cloud Processing forFiltering said Content Based on Characteristics of the User,” which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/275,569, filed onMay 12, 2014, (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,467,515, issued on Oct. 11, 2016),entitled “Methods and Systems for Sending Contextual Content toConnected Vehicles and Configurable Interaction Modes for VehicleInterfaces,” which are all herein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to connected vehicles and methods forcharging connected vehicles that use electricity for power, such aselectric vehicles (EVs) or hybrids, and methods for finding charge andautomatic charging.

BACKGROUND

Electric vehicles have been utilized for transportation purposes andrecreational purposes for quite some time. Electric vehicles require abattery that powers an electric motor, and in turn propels the vehiclein the desired location. The drawback with electric vehicles is that therange provided by batteries is limited, and the infrastructure availableto users of electric vehicles is substantially reduced compared tofossil fuel vehicles. For instance, fossil fuel vehicles that utilizegasoline and diesel to operate piston driven motors represent a majorityof all vehicles utilized by people around the world. Consequently,fueling stations are commonplace and well distributed throughout areasof transportation, providing for easy refueling at any time. For thisreason, fossil fuel vehicles are generally considered to have unlimitedrange, provided users refuel before their vehicles reach empty.

On the other hand, owners of electric vehicles must carefully plan theirdriving routes and trips around available recharging stations. For thisreason, many electric vehicles on the road today are partially electricand partially fossil fuel burning. For those vehicles that are pureelectric, owners usually rely on charging stations at their privateresidences, or specialty recharging stations. However specialtyrecharging stations are significantly few compared to fossil fuelstations. In fact, the scarcity of recharging stations in and aroundpopulated areas has caused owners of electric vehicles to coin thephrase “range anxiety,” to connote the possibility that their drivingtrips may be limited in range, or that the driver of the electricvehicle will be stranded without recharging options. It is this problemof range anxiety that prevents more than electric car enthusiasts fromswitching to pure electric cars, and abandoning their expensive fossilfuel powered vehicles.

It is in this context that embodiments of the invention arise.

SUMMARY

In some implementations, methods, systems, computer readable media, andcombinations thereof are provided, for locating charge for electricvehicles, automatic syncing with charging units, automatic vehicleidentification by charging units and wireless charge pad systems, andmethod for interfacing with charging data usage, payment, availabilityand sharing via cloud system or systems, are provided. Someimplementations describe ways of identifying vehicles that are able toreceive charge, so that charge can be automatically transferred to suchvehicles without further user input.

This automatic transfer of charge to vehicles, such as when a vehiclearrives at a parking spot equipped with wireless charging pads and/orwireless charging surfaces and/or structures, can be controlled based onuser definitions in a user account. For example, a user account can haveuser configuration settings, which may be made using any device havingaccess to the Internet. The user account can present user interfacescreens by way of a web browser and/or mobile app, and/or vehicle app;such that the user can configure preferences of when automatic chargingis to occur.

Customized settings and logic can be defined by the user, such thatcharging is automatically carried out when the user parks in specificlocations, specific parking spots, specific geo-locations, specificbranded locations, and/or when the user parks near specific merchants orlocations. In some embodiments, the user account is also provided withdiscount notifications or offers, which are provided, based on user'spredefined preferences or learned preferences. The discounts can becontextually selected, such that the discounts are presented when theuser is expected to need a good or service and/or when the user arrivesat some specific parking location or is determined to be near ageo-location of a merchant that can provide the discount for a good orservice, such as when or during a time when the vehicle is charging.

The charging of the vehicle can be for a short amount of time (e.g.,minutes or seconds, or for hours or factions of hours, or for days ormonths), or until the charge level is full. In some embodiments, byallowing automatic charging can enable processes where a vehicle ischarged in increments, such as when a vehicle parks in one or moreparking spots that have wireless charging capabilities. An example ofincremental charging can include a user driving a vehicle around townand stopping at various locations during a period of time of errandrunning.

At each stop, even if brief, some amount of charge can automatically betransferred, if the user account has predefined the particular chargingpad/CU as one that the user wishes to use. Other detailed examples areprovided herein as implementations, and various implementations can bedefined by combining one or more of the specific examples.

In the following embodiments, several example configurations aredisclosed, which relate to claimed embodiments. It should be understood,however, that implementations are envisioned that are defined bycombined parts or features of the various embodiments disclosed herein.The combination of parts or features can define implementations thatinclude fewer or more features than those described with specificembodiments.

In one embodiment, a cloud system is configured to execute methodoperations for communicating with connected vehicles of users havinguser accounts with the cloud system. The method includes receiving asignal from of an electric vehicle that is associated to a user account.The signal of the electric vehicle is received in response to theelectric vehicle parking over a charging pad of a charging unit, and thecharging unit is one of a plurality of charging units located in variousgeo-locations. The method includes sending instructions to the chargingunit to enable initiation of charge transfer to a battery of theelectric vehicle upon the cloud system confirming that the user accountfor the electric vehicle is enabled for automatic charging upon parkingover said charging pad of the charging unit. The method includesreceiving data from the charging unit indicative of a discontinuing ofthe charge transfer by the charging pad responsive to detecting that theelectric vehicle is no longer parked over said charging pad.

In one embodiment, a cloud system is configured to execute methodoperations for communicating with connected vehicles of users havinguser accounts with the cloud system. The method includes receiving anidentification of an electric vehicle that is associated to a useraccount. The identification of the electric vehicle is received inresponse to the electric vehicle parking over a charging pad of acharging unit. The charging unit is one of a plurality of charging unitslocated in various geo-locations. The method includes initiating chargetransfer to a battery of the electric vehicle upon the server confirmingthat the user account for the electric vehicle is enabled for automaticcharging upon parking over said charging pad of the charging unit. Themethod discontinues the charge transfer by the charging pad when theserver detects that at the electric vehicle is no longer parked oversaid charging pad.

A method is provided in one example. The method includes receiving, fromtime to time, discounts published by merchants for presentation to anetwork of charging units (CUs), each of the CUs being associated to ageo-location. The method also includes receiving an identification of anelectric vehicle that is associated to a user account. Theidentification of the electric vehicle is made upon detecting that theelectric vehicle has parked over a charging pad of a particular CU, thecharging pad being at a geo-location of the particular CU. The methodalso includes identifying at least one discount to be presented to adevice of the electric vehicle. The identifying is a result of filteringdiscounts based on user preferences associated with the user account anda proximity of a merchant location to the particular CU having thecharging pad over which the vehicle has parked. The method includessending the at least one discount to the device of the electric vehicleupon receiving an indication that charge is transferred from thecharging pad to a battery of the electric vehicle.

In some implementations the method also includes sending the at leastone discount to the user account for access by a portable device, thediscount being usable at the merchant location.

In some implementations the method also includes receiving data beingindicative of identification of the electric vehicle as associated withthe user account, and sending data to enable the transfer of charge tothe battery of the electric vehicle upon processing data that indicatesthat the electric vehicle is associated with the user account and theuser account is pre-authorized with payment data to enable the transferof charge. Enabling the transfer of charge occurs automatically when theelectric vehicle is identified to be parked over the charging pad of theparticular CU and the electric vehicle is authorized to receive thecharge based on the pre-authorization in the user account.

In some implementations the method also includes implementing one ormore servers of a cloud system, the one or more servers having access tothe network of charging units, the cloud system configured to: managereceived discounts published by the merchants, the discounts beingpublished with an identification of a geo-location or CUs for which thediscounts are to be published and an expiration time for the discounts;manage receiving data to identify presence of electric vehicles over oneor more charging pads; manage confirming that user accounts associatedwith electric vehicles present over charging pads are authorized withpayment data to enable automatic charging, without user input at thecharging pad or charging pad system; manage enabling the charging padsto transfer charge to electric vehicles; and manage server data for theuser accounts to enable access to users of the user accounts toadminister their accounts regarding their use of charge from chargingpads over a period of time.

In some implementations the filtering is further performed by excludingdiscounts for merchants that are beyond a proximity of the particularCU, wherein the particular CU and the proximity are defined by themerchant when posting the discount.

In some implementations the user preferences associated with the useraccount are received as explicit preferences or are learned for use withthe user account based on past actions made via the user account.

In some implementations the additional discounts are sent to the deviceof the electric vehicle, wherein selection of one of the discounts anduse of the discounts are tracked to build learned preferences for theuser account.

In some implementations the preferences for the user account arecompared to other user accounts to identify similarities in preferencesand/or actual use of discounts previously sent, the similarities beingused to refine selection of discounts for the user account.

In some implementations the discount is validated or used when redeemedat the merchant location, the discount being accessible via a mobiledevice by access to the user account over the Internet, and wherein thediscount is a reduced price of a good or service offered at the merchantlocation or a reduction in price for charge obtained by the electricvehicle at the particular CU.

In some implementations the discount is conditioned on transfer of anamount of charge to the electric vehicle as obtained from thepredetermined CU, or conditioned on confirmation of purchase of a goodor service from the merchant location.

In some implementations the proximity of the merchant location to theparticular CU is within walking distance that is less than one mile.

In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes receivingfrom time to time, at a server, discounts published by merchants forpresentation to a network of charging units (CUs). Each of the CUs isassociated to a geo-location. The method further includes receiving, atthe server, an identification of an electric vehicle that is associatedto a user account and that is pre-authorized to obtain charge from CUsof the network of CUs. Also included is receiving, at the server, dataindicative that the electric vehicle is positioned substantially over acharging pad of a charging unit (CU) of the network of CUs. The methodalso sends data, by the server, to the CU so that the charging padtransfers charge to the electric vehicle automatically if the useraccount is pre-authorized to obtain the charge from the CU. The transferof charge from the charging pad to the electric vehicle occurringwithout user input at or directed to the CU to initiate a transaction tocause the transfer of charge. The method also includes sending, by theserver, a discount selected from published discounts for the useraccount associated with the electric vehicle. The discount is providedby a merchant having a merchant location that is proximate to the CU.The discount is further selected based on user preferences associatedwith the user account, the method being executed by a processor.

In some implementations the method further includes sending the at leastone discount to the user account for access by a portable device, thediscount being usable at the merchant location.

In some implementations the method also includes implementing the serveror multiple servers of a cloud system, the servers having access to thenetwork of charging units, the cloud system configured to: managereceived discounts published by the merchants, the discounts beingpublished with an identification of a geo-location or CUs for which thediscounts are to be published and an expiration time for the discounts;manage receiving data to identify presence of electric vehicles over oneor more charging pads; manage confirming that user accounts associatedwith electric vehicles present over charging pads are authorized withpayment data to enable automatic charging, without direct user input atthe charging pad or charging pad system; manage enabling the chargingpads to transfer charge to electric vehicles; and manage server data forthe user accounts to enable access to users of the user accounts toadminister their accounts regarding their use of charge from chargingpads over a period of time, wherein the access is by way of anapplication of a mobile device or a website or the electric vehiclecomputer, or a combination thereof.

In some implementations the selecting the discount includes excludingdiscounts for merchants that are beyond a proximity of the CU, whereinthe proximity is defined by the merchant when posting the discount.

In some implementations the user preferences associated with the useraccount are received as user entered preferences or are learned for theuser account based on past actions made with association to the useraccount.

In some implementations the additional discounts are sent to the useraccount for access by the electric vehicle or mobile device, whereinselection of one of the discounts or use of the discounts are tracked tobuild preferences for the user account, and wherein preferences for theuser account are compared to other user accounts to identifysimilarities, the similarities being used to select discounts for theuser account.

Some implementations further include providing, to the user account,information regarding social network data commenting on the merchantassociated with the discount and other merchants and discounts.

In some implementations the merchant location is proximate to the CUwhen a distance between the merchant location is proximate and the CU iswithin walking distance and the walking distance is less than one mile.

In another embodiment, a method is provided. The method includesreceiving, at the server, an identification of an electric vehicle thatis associated to a user account that is pre-authorized to obtain chargefrom a charging units (CUs) associated with a network of CUs. The methodalso receiving, at the server, data indicative that the electric vehicleis positioned at least partially over a charging pad of a CU of thenetwork of CUs. The method also sends data, by the server, to the CU sothat the charging pad transfers charge to the electric vehicleautomatically if the user account is pre-authorized to obtain the chargefrom the CU. The transfer of charge from the charging pad to theelectric vehicle occurring without user input at the CU and without userinterface input associated with the CU to cause or initiate the transferof charge. The method includes receiving data, by the server, regardingamount of charge transferred to the electric vehicle and billing theuser account for the amount of charge transferred to the electricvehicle, the method being executed by a processor.

In one embodiment, assigning charge units (CUs) to a network of CUs isprovided. Methods for allow suppliers of CU services to add the CU(s) tothe network to allow consumers of charge for electric vehicles to obtaincharge from the network. Charge can be obtained from various CUs, whichmay or may not be of the same brand or CU manufacturer.

A method is provided that includes receiving a request from a vehicle toidentify charge unit install points (CUIPs) having at least one chargeunit (CU). The method identifies a geo-location of the vehicle andidentifying CUIPs within a proximity location of the vehicle. The methodfurther identifies promotion options available at the identified CUIPsor any promotions available by businesses located proximate to theidentified CUIPs. The method provides a list of one or more options forobtaining charge at CUIPs to the vehicle, and the list of optionsidentifying the promotions; the method being executed by a processor.

In some embodiments, the list is arranged or filtered based onpreferences of a user account used to cause the request from thevehicle.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving a selectionof one of the options.

In some embodiments, the selection of the option includes one ofreserving of a CU at the CUIP, or reserving of the CU at the CUIP andpaying for the charge via a user account used to cause the request fromthe vehicle.

In some embodiments, the promotions include discounts in charge,discounts in goods or services proximate to the CUIP, or combinationsthereof.

In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes receiving arequest, from a vehicle, to identify charge unit install points (CUIPs)having at least one charge unit (CU). The method includes identifying ageo-location of the vehicle and identifying CUIPs within a proximitylocation of the vehicle. The method includes identifying promotionoptions available at the identified CUIPs or any promotions available bybusinesses located proximate to the identified CUIPs. The methodincludes providing a list of one or more options for obtaining charge atCUIPs to the vehicle, the list of options identifying the promotions.The request is made via electronics of the vehicle (or via a portabledevice or computer) that has connection to the Internet. The request isprocessed by at least one server of a cloud service, and the CUIPs areassociated with computers connected to the Internet to enable real-timeaccess to determine availably of CUs, reservations of CUs at the CUIPs,determination of promotions or discounts at the CUIPs and association toany clustered promotion with businesses located proximate to theidentified CUIPs. The method being executed by a processor.

In some embodiments, the list is arranged or filtered based onpreferences of a user account used to cause the request from thevehicle.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving a selectionof one of the options, wherein the selection of the option includes oneof reserving of a CU at a CUIP, or reserving of a CU at a CUIP andpaying for the charge via a user account used to cause the request fromthe vehicle.

In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method, in one embodiment,will include receiving identifier information for a charge unit. Thisdata may be received at a website or database. The method includestranslating the identifier information for the charge unit to a chargeunit ID (CUID). The method further includes associating the CUID to acharge unit install point (CUIP), and the CUIP defines an installationlocation of the CUID. The method includes receiving promotion data forthe CUIP, where the promotion data is for charge rates charged at theCUIP or discounts for goods or services offered proximate to the CUIP.The method can also include publishing the promotion data for the CUIPto cloud services. The cloud services enable the promotion data to bediscoverable to vehicles requesting charge location data from cloudservices, the method being executed by a processor.

In one example, the method may include having a plurality of identifierinformation for a plurality of charge units, wherein as additionalcharge units are introduced into a charging infrastructure, the chargeunits' identifier information is translated to CUIDs.

In some embodiments, the CUIPs are locations where one or more CUs areinstalled or proximate thereto.

In some embodiments, the CUIP is one of a dedicated location forcharging electric vehicles or a location proximate to a CU or proximateto a parking spot next to a CU.

In some embodiments, the CUIP is proximate to a business that providesgoods or services other than charge for EVs.

In some embodiments, the cloud services push the promotion data tovehicles based on a level of current charge of the vehicle and locationof the vehicle.

In some embodiments, the promotion data is matched to predefined likesof the user of the electric vehicle or historical actions of the user toother promotions.

In some embodiments, the promotion data is provided along a userpredefined path of travel.

In some embodiments, the promotion data is provided based on a currentlevel of charge of the electric vehicle and vehicle heading directionalong a road or path.

In some embodiments, the charge consumption data at CUs is saved to acharge consumption database, the charge consumption database holds datathat includes when EVs enter one power grid area and/or leave a secondpower grid area.

In another embodiment, a method is provided. The method includestranslating identifier information for charge units to charge unit IDs(CUIDs). The method further includes associating particular CUIDs to acharge unit install point (CUIP), and the CUIPs define installationlocation of the CUIDs. The method includes receiving promotion data forthe CUIP. The promotion data is for charge rates charged at the CUIP ordiscounts for goods or services offered proximate to the CUIP. Themethod includes providing the promotion data for the CUIP to cloudservices. The cloud services make the promotion data discoverable tovehicles that require charge data from cloud services, the method beingexecuted by a processor.

In some embodiments, the promotion data is for a period of time thatexpires, the period of time being published with the promotion, theperiod of time being set to the cloud services.

In some embodiments, a plurality of identifier information for aplurality of charge units is received, and as additional charge unitsare introduced into a charging infrastructure, the charge units'identifier information is translated to CUIDs.

In some embodiments, the CUIPs are locations where one or more CUs areinstalled or proximate thereto.

In some embodiments, the CUIP is one of a dedicated location forcharging electric vehicles or a location proximate to a CU or proximateto a parking spot next to a CU.

In some embodiments, the CUIP is proximate to a business that providesgoods or services other than charge for EVs.

In some embodiments, the cloud services push the promotion data tovehicles based on a level of current charge of the vehicle and locationof the vehicle.

In some embodiments, the promotion data is matched to predefined likesof the user of the electric vehicle or historical actions of the user toother promotions.

In some embodiments, the promotion data is provided along a userpredefined path of travel.

In some embodiments, the promotion data is provided based on a currentlevel of charge of the electric vehicle and vehicle heading directionalong a road or path.

In some embodiments, the charge consumption data at CUs is saved to acharge consumption database, the charge consumption database holds datathat includes when EVs enter one power grid area and/or leave a secondpower grid area.

In another embodiment, a computer readable medium is provided. Thecomputer readable medium includes program instructions for translatingidentifier information for charge units to charge unit IDs (CUIDs).Further provided are program instructions for associating particularCUIDs to a charge unit install point (CUIP), the CUIPs defineinstallation location of the CUIDs. Program instructions for receivingpromotion data for the CUIP are also provided. The promotion data is forcharge rates charged at the CUIP or discounts for goods or servicesoffered proximate to the CUIP. Also provides are program instructionsfor providing the promotion data for the CUIP to cloud services. Thecloud services making the promotion data discoverable to vehicles thatrequire charge data from cloud services, the method being executed by aprocessor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a data acquisition model that includes a data acquisitioninterface 10 that includes an application-programming interface (API),in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows examples of entities that can provide data to theinfrastructure or can obtain data, on demand, in accordance with oneembodiment.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a charge infrastructure system (CIS) that cancommunicate with various entities via charge services, in accordancewith one embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a system diagram, where a CUIP owner can login and access amanagement module, in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 shows an example of CU manufacturers providing registration ofnew CUs as they are introduced into the market, in accordance with oneembodiment.

FIG. 6 shows an example of CUs at different locations for tracking ofcharge consumption to the power grid, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows an example of charging events CEs for various EVs and CUs,and cloud services for locating charge and discounts, in accordance withone embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates a path and CUs located along a path and variousdiscounts along the path, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates a clustering of discounts for proximate locatedbusinesses that provide discounts, promotions, or deals to CUs next tothe businesses, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a GUI screen to allow businesses toestablish clustered promotions, by locating CUs and defining promotions,in accordance with one embodiment.

FIGS. 11-13 illustrate examples of connecting a CU to an EV andinterfacing with the CU via a mobile device, in accordance with oneembodiment.

FIG. 14 shows an example of access to a user account, and paymentoptions and discounts provided or associated with local merchantsproximate to the CU, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 15 shows an example where a user can receive notification duringcharge sessions and ways of paying or buying goods to say in the slotwhen charge is complete, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example of a user's device obtaining a code froma CU at a charge unit install point (CUIP), in accordance with oneembodiment.

FIG. 17 illustrates an APP of a device making connection to charge cloudservices, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 18 illustrates an example process when a user logs in to an App,and the App provides the user, Bob, with information about his vehicle,in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 19 further shows a parking structure, which can include one or morefloors and ceiling charge cords, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 20 illustrates an example of a vehicle having multiple charge cells(e.g., batteries B1 and B2), in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 21 illustrates an example where multiple CUs can be connected tomultiple charge units (e.g., segmented batteries) of an EV, inaccordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 22 shows how tracking the CEs, the data can be monitored by powerstations to calculate grid local metrics.

FIGS. 23A and 23B show parking spots that have a vehicle-charging pad,for wireless charging, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 24 shows an example conventional parking spot from a top view,showing a vehicle-charging pad in relation to a conventional parkingspot and a side view, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 25 shows the interaction between a vehicle and a charging padlocated on a conventional parking spot, in accordance with oneembodiment.

FIGS. 26-27 show vehicle charging pad embodiment having the ability tointeract via a network interface, in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED EMBODIMENTS

In some implementations, methods, systems, computer readable media, andcombinations thereof are provided, for locating charge for electricvehicles, automatic syncing with charging units, automatic vehicleidentification by charging units and wireless charge pad systems, andmethod for interfacing with charging data usage, payment data,availability data and sharing via cloud system or systems, are provided.

In the following embodiments, several example configurations aredisclosed, which relate to claimed embodiments. It should be understood,however, that implementations are envisioned that are defined bycombined parts or features of the various embodiments disclosed herein.The combination of parts or features can define implementations thatinclude fewer or more features than those described with specificembodiments. Thus, it is envisioned that many specific embodiments,claimed within the scope of this disclosure, can be defined by combiningfeatures described herein, such that implementations within the scope ofthis specification and incorporated by reference material can bedefined, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes receiving,at the server, an identification of an electric vehicle that isassociated to a user account that is pre-authorized to obtain chargefrom a charging units (CUs) associated with a network of CUs. The methodfurther includes receiving, at the server, data indicative that theelectric vehicle is positioned at least partially over a charging pad ofa CU of the network of CUs. The server sends data to the CU so that thecharging pad transfers charge to the electric vehicle automatically ifthe user account is pre-authorized to obtain the charge from the CU, thetransfer of charge from the charging pad to the electric vehicleoccurring without user input at the CU and without user interface inputassociated with the CU to cause or initiate the transfer of charge. Themethod further includes receiving data, by the server, regarding amountof charge transferred to the electric vehicle, and charging the useraccount for the amount of charge transferred to the electric vehicle.

In one implementation, in addition to providing charge at the CU, themethod can include identifying user preferences for goods and/orservices. Based on the location of the CU and merchants local to the CU,certain ones of the discounts are automatically selected and sent to theuser, the vehicle display, vehicle computer, user smartphone, usersmartwatch, or the like. In some cases, a discount is not shown to theuser if the discount does not match the user's preferences or learnedpreferences, so as to avoid delivering clutter to the vehicle or deviceof the user. Example processing for executing the learning functions aredescribed below, without limitation to various possible machine learningalgorithms that can utilized user input over time to predict what a usermay wish to input in the future or select in the future or set as apreference.

In some embodiments, the automatic transfer of charge to the vehiclewhen the vehicle parks over a charging pad can be controlled or customset by a user. The settings can include turning off the setting so thatcharge is not automatically transferred, or providing the user with anotification to allow charging, or receiving a programming setting bythe user that enables automatic charging only at select locations,areas, geo-locations, parking slots, brands of charge providers, or thelike.

In one embodiment, methods, systems, computer readable media, andcombinations thereof are provided, for assigning charge units (CUs) to anetwork of CUs, and methods for allowing suppliers of CU services to addthe CU(s) to the network to allow consumers of charge for electricvehicles to obtain charge from the network.

In one embodiment, CUs owned by suppliers of charge can place the CUs inany location on their property, on commercial property, or sharedcommercial property, such as parking lots. Once the CUs are assigned toa location, the CUs are assigned to a charge unit install point (CUIP).The CUIP is identifiable by is geo location, proximity to roads,proximity to brick/mortar building. The CUIP can also be located byaccessing a network, which may be managed by cloud services, such as toallow users to find CUs over a device that is connected to the Internet.The device can be, in one embodiment, electronics of a vehicle thatincludes displays and user interfaces to accessing applications. TheApplications can be native to the vehicle or can be downloaded to thevehicle from an application site or portable. The applications run inthe vehicle electronics include wireless communication logic andcircuitry, memory and a processor.

In other embodiments, the same CU location identification can beaccessed via any mobile device, such as a smartphone, a tablet computer,a laptop, a watch computer, or any device having access to the Internet.In one embodiment, when access is made to locate CUs proximate to theuser, logic is executed to identify the current geo location of therequest (e.g., the vehicle, a portable device, or non-portable device.In one embodiment, different manufacturers can produce CUs, and the CUscan be universally assigned to a network of CUs, no matter who themanufacturer is, and mapping logic allows assigning particular CUs tothe network. Once the CUs are registered with a network, the CUs canthen be assigned to a CUIP. Each CUIP can have a management module thatallows owners of CUs to add more CUs to the CUIP, assign pricing to theservices offered at the CUIP, offer promotions at the CUIP location,cluster promotions with other venders of goods/services that may belocated proximate to the CUIP.

The promotions can include, for example, reductions in charge fees, freecharge services, coupons, money back or credit, future discounts,current discounts, a mix of discounts for charge and discount in goodsor services of a particular merchant, discounts to goods and servicesproximate to the CUIP, etc. In addition, when a consumer of charge islooking for charge, or logic in the vehicle determines that charge willbe needed, an application in the vehicle or mobile device can identifyproximate CUIPs, current waiting times at the CUIP, discounts at theCUIP, alternate paths mapped to CUIPs that provide more discounts thanothers, etc. In one embodiment, data of the user's past historical useof the vehicle and historical use of others that obtain charge can beanalyzed to provide custom learned recommendations to the user. Forexample, if the user typically charges next to a coffee shop, the routeto CUIPs can be recommended for CUIPs that are located near a coffeeshop so the user can walk to the coffee shop while charging.

Another example may be a promotion by the CUIP owner and the coffeeshop, which will provide a discount on one or both of coffee and charge.In still other embodiments, the charge services network can allow ownersof CUIPs to dynamically add discounts for custom periods of times, orbased on a set schedule. Users needing charge out in the field canaccess the network and obtain the best charge location availability anddiscounts based on user's predefined settings, or based on the profileof the user (e.g., including preferences set by the user and preferencesthat are leaned based on the user's past actions, or based onrecommendations of similar drivers). In some embodiments, users lookingfor charge can be provided with several paths to CUIPs, where particularpaths provide different types of promotions. Based on the type ofpromotion desired by the user, the path can be generated and presentedto the user. In still another embodiment, if the user decides to accepta path, the CUIP can provide availability at the CUIP and the user canreserve a CU at the CUIP.

Still further, the user's profile can include predefined paymentoptions, so that the user can reserve a CU, arrive at the CU, obtaincharge, and pay for the charge or services automatically via anelectronic transaction with the CU and the cloud services. The user'sprofile can therefore hold a history of past charge events, the user canthen use the same to perform personal accounting, complete reporting fortax purposes, etc. In one embodiment, no matter who the CU maker is, thecloud services can enable payment to a unified service, and the ownersof the CUs or CUIPs can be paid according to the services they provide,or can be debited for any promotions provided at or near the CUIP,stores, co-located business, etc.

A number of embodiments are described below, with reference to specificinventive topics and/or sub-embodiments that relate to electricvehicles, charging methods, wireless device synchronization to exchangeinformation regarding charging events, cloud based processingtechnologies to share charge availability information, discounts acrossa charge supply grid, geo-location mapping and charge finding, userinterfaces, charge unit identification systems, user interfaces to unifyacquisition of charge, reservation of charge, charge units with colorindicators to signal charge status and availability, charge supplysystems and infrastructure for connecting charge to electric vehicles(EVs), cloud based databases and distributed data centers for trackingcharge usage and sharing charge usage with charge providers, utilities,drivers of EVs, owners of charge units (CUs) and owners or managers ofcharge unit install points (CUIPs).

In one implementation, the listed embodiments may be viewed broadly todefine separate defined embodiments. In other implementation, the listedembodiments may be combined with one or more of the respectively listedembodiments to define unified embodiments.

In one embodiment, methods and systems that provide a unifiedidentification system for all charge units, is provided. Charge unitmanufacturers register their units with an assigned universal identifier(UID); end users “charge unit install points (CUIP)” use the UID toregister the charge unit when installed at the CUIP. Owners of the CUIPscan access a charge cloud service (CCS) to view their registered chargeunit and enter any discounts or promotions to be provided at the CUIP atparticular times. The CCS can then post, publish or distribute thediscounts of CUIPs to a site. The site can be accessed via a smartphone,via a vehicle dash electronics interface (i.e., navigation system or cartelematics). On one embodiment, an intelligent path generation unit(PGU) can collect information regarding the discounts or promotionsoffered by the various CUIPs, and based on that data, a route can beautomatically generated for electric vehicle (EV) drivers based on theirdriving paths or mapped driving routs.

For instance, if a user has programmed their EV to reach a destination(e.g., Point B), from a current location (e.g., Point A), the mappingcan population information concerning available CUIPs in the vicinity ofthe chosen path between A and B. In addition, the discovery of CUIPs andpopulation as information to users regarding a path can be limited orfiltered based on the status of the battery of the EV. If the EV iscurrently full of charge, the user will not be shown CUIPs near thebeginning of the path between A and B. As the charge starts to getcloser to a low state or state at which the driver should considercharging the EV, the CUIPs in the area can be populated to the displayof the user's EV dash graphical user interface (GUI).

Alternatively, the CUIPs along a round can always be shown to the user,no matter what the level of charge is in the EV. EV users can thereforeaccess an APP to view and find charge units (CUs) at CUIPs and, based ontheir desired path, various CUIPs are shown as options to the user, withany published discounts identified. In other embodiments, the publisheddiscounts or promotions can be displayed in rank order. For instance,the user can filter promotions or discounts in terms of reduced chargerates, products or merchandise offered based on purchased charge, etc.

Payment for charge can, in one embodiment, be unified by a process orapplication that shares charge activity and provides revenue back to thesuppliers of the CU. Payment can further be unified by enabling wirelesspayment at a CU. In one example, when an EV reaches a location of a CU,an application can be surfaced to the electronics of the vehicle or to auser's portable device. The application can provide the user withoptions to login or simply accept to proceed with automatic payment forcharge consumed at the CU. Cloud services, which may run one or moreapplications, can maintain logs for the user to show historical chargeactivities and costs.

On the CU side, the supplier of the charge can also receive payment fromthe EV drivers and can be provided with metrics of charge utilization atone or more CUs in a network of CUs owned or operated by the CUsupplier.

Utility companies or power suppliers can also be provided with metricsof charge use at various CUs, historical charge loads, and times of peakand lows for the various geographically distributed CUs. Utilities cantherefore manage power supplies and power rates more effectively and canfurther populate real time cost per charge rates to EV users, which maydiscourage EV users from seeking charge during peak or more expensivetimes of day.

FIG. 1 shows a data acquisition model that includes a data acquisitioninterface 10 that includes an application-programming interface (API),in accordance with one embodiment. The API, in one embodiment, isconstructed to interface with a virtualization infrastructure 16 thatstores data in data centers 18. The virtualization infrastructure 16 canbe distributed throughout a region, such as by country, e.g., like theUnited States, or by multi-country jurisdictions, e.g., like Europe orAsia.

The API 12 allows various types of data creating entities or dataconsuming entities to share data in real-time or substantial real-time.In the provided example of FIG. 1, various entities can include, withoutlimitation, charge unit install points (CUIPs). Broadly speaking, a CUIPis a location at which charge is provided to electric vehicles (EVs). Alocation can be where one or more charge units (CUs) are installed andcan access charge from a charge-providing source, such as a localelectric grid operator, solar producing panels or cells.

When a CU is installed, the corresponding location is the CUIP. The CUIPcan be a private location, such as a residence or business, or a publiclocation that provides charge, such as at dedicated charge dispensingstations, parking lots, or businesses. CU will have an assignedidentifier, such as a serial number that is universally assigned to theCU, once installed at the CUIP. Once installed, the CUIP is alsoregistered with a serial number that is universally assigned. In oneembodiment, the assigning of a universal serial number can be managedby, for example, by a universal serial number assigner module thatinterfaces with the API. By centralizing the assignment of serialnumbers to CUs and CUIPs, it is possible to standardize the deploymentof CUs from many manufacturers that that may not communicate with oneanother. Thus, once CUs are made, such as by CU manufacturers, that datacan be shared through the API 12 to the data acquisition interface 10.

In the same manner as CUs are assigned standardized serial numbersacross disparate manufacturers, other players in the electric vehicle(EV) ecosystem can also take advantage of the centralized assignments ofidentifiers, such as serial numbers, codes, names, etc. These playerscan include, without limitation, electric vehicle manufactures. Electricvehicles can be registered either at the time of manufacture or laterafter purchased by the end user. Registering of EVs can include allowingthe owner of the EV to set its own personal level of privacy. Forexample, some users may not want to be tracked by location at all, whilesome may which to be tracked for location, but remain anonymous.Tracking a vehicle in anonymous mode will allow users to be notified ofspecial deals or promotions in the vicinity of the vehicle as the userdrives around. Yet, the identity of the user will not be disclosed orstored by any database. Thus, the level of tracking can be customized bythe end user and changed at anytime on the fly. Tracking of location ofthe user can be managed as simply as users are tracked or as theynavigate the Internet. If the user wishes to delete his or her historyof travel or permanently delete history of driving, paths, speed,direction, stops, the user can simply login to the cloud service anddelete the history. In some cases, the user can set full anonymousdriving history mode, by simply clicking a button or setting on the EV'sGUI display or by accessing the account via a computer or other personalelectronic device (e.g., phone, tablet, etc.).

Another system to coordinate and transfer data with the data acquisitioninterface 10 is the electric grid. The electric grid can be a local gridsupplier, such as an electric company. Because EVs move around and enterand leave new power grid areas, the power grid suppliers will need toknow when more EVs enter their region or are purchased in their region.As more EVs start to reside in a particular region, the demand on thelocal grid can expand or decline. This information is important for gridoperators, as the infrastructure can be better managed and forecasted.For example, if electric vehicles start to increase, say by 10,000 EVsper year, the grid can start to plan for the increase. However, in oneembodiment, it is possible to track when each one of the EVs travel intoa grid area or region and when they leave the grid area. The travel ofEVs into and out of grid areas can also be tracked historically butstill anonymously with respect to the identity of the user or owner ofthe EV. Tracking the travel of the EVs can also be modeled to makeprojections of growth and can facilitate grid owners to project the needto expand the infrastructure in advance of the need, which reducesemergency expansion costs for grid operators. In addition, it ispossible to project when more EVs enter or leave the number of operatingEVs.

The inflow or outflow of EVs into particular regions can be importantinformation that can be used by CU manufacturers. As more EVs enter themarket, the CU manufacturers can plan to expand the deployment of CUsinto markets with a growth in EVs and EV use.

Traffic data concerning the paths taken by EVs, where EVs are stoppingfor charge and where charge is needed. For instance, if particular roadsare busier than others, it can be estimated that more CUIPs may beneeded along those path locations. Mapping data can also be obtainedfrom mapping entities, and data can be provided back to the mappingentities. For example, accurate mapping data is needed by the EVs, butthe EVs can also provide critical mapping data back to the mappingentities.

The data acquisition interface 10 is also shown in communication with acloud based charge service (“cloud services”), which communicates withentities, such as EVs, smart devices, computers, etc. For example, adriver in an EV can access the services to identify CUIPs, map closerCUIPs, map or find CUIPs that have deals or promotions, etc. The driverof an EV can also access these services via any device, whether or notthe user is in the vehicle. These services can also intelligentlyprovide data back to drivers based on historical driving actions. Forexample, if a user drives a particular path or approximate route betweenpoints A and B frequently, that historical driving can be used toprovide the user with options of new routes or CUIPs that provide bettercharge options. The cloud-based services can also be accessed by any oneof the entities that interface with the data acquisition interface.Access to particular data can be filtered based on the useridentification and password, or an authentication method.

FIG. 2 shows examples of entities that can provide data to theinfrastructure or can obtain data, on demand Cloud services 20 canprovide the interface to the disparate entities, and infrastructure canbe unified by identifier assignments, as noted above. By way of anInternet accessible interface, user can access the data via smartphones,portable electronics, vehicle electronics, computers, etc. As shown, thecloud services may provide access to power grid suppliers 70, vehiclemanufacturers 80, and users with any type of computing device 60.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a charge infrastructure system (CIS) 100 thatcan communicate with various entities via charge services 20. Theentities can include, for example, charge unit manufacturers 102,vehicle makers 104, power grid suppliers 106, etc. Communication can behand, in one embodiment, via a network 140. The network 140 can includeinternal private networks and/or the Internet. In one implementation,the CIS can include information regarding charge unit types 120, vehicletype identifiers 122, power grid demand 124 and information routinglogic 126. The charge location tracker 130 is a module that collectslocation data from EVs, which defines an EV grid 150. The EV grid is amap that shows the location of EVs and the paths taken by EVs over timeor in real time. In some embodiments, if the user of the EV allows formore data to be disclosed to entities, the information can be filteredat the request of the EV owner/driver, to restrict personal information.However, the user may wish to disclose travel or charge eventinformation to enable the cloud services to provide richer data back tothe user, either by way of a mobile application, internet browser,vehicle interface, etc.

Embodiments are defined that enable owners of the charge units (CUs) toregister their CUs with a cloud service. The cloud service adds the CUto the network of CUs that can be discovered by users that search forcharge as they drive around in the electric vehicle (EV) or any othervehicle or when the user walks around with a portable device havingaccess to the internet.

The owners of the CUs can, on demand, post the price they wish toprovide charge at the CU. In some cases, the owners of the CU cansponsor free charge at their CU, which may bring traffic to the CU andif the CU is in proximate to the CU's business (e.g., a big box store,or any other business), the EV driver may stop by and purchase goodswhile the vehicle is charging.

FIG. 4 shows a system diagram, where a CUIP owner can login and access amanagement module, in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention. As shown, a charge unit management portal 202 is providedwith access to network 140, such as the Internet. Through the network140, access is provided to Login management page 204 and the charge unitdata structure 206 database. As shown, by way of example, CUIP_A 208,CUIP_B 210, CUIP_C 212, each show a number of CUs that are associatedwith the particular CUIPs. The owner of the CU, who sets up a CUIP, canlogin to cloud services to register the CU or CUs of it owns to a CUIP.In the process, the user can register the serial numbers of the CUs,such as ID xxxx, and this data is associated with the CUIP of the user.At the management module, the owner of the CUIP or the person havingaccess to the CUIP, can login and set up a profile for the CUs. Theprofile can be used to identify the charge cost to be offered atparticular times of day or based on other factors, such as charge costfrom the grid. The programming of prices and rewards can be set ahead oftime and can be set to dynamically adjust over time, based on real-timeconditions and preset rules.

In one embodiment, based on the charge cost, the charge revenue based onuser's accessing the CUs can be tracked, including metrics of when theCUs are most profitable. In addition, the operator of the CUIP candefine custom attributes for the CUs, including artwork to be computergenerated for user interfaces (UIs). The specific discount parameterscan be programmed by for each CU, the number of users that should bereached with discounts, if the discounts are to be published by thecloud services. The publishing can including, for example, by displayingthe CUIP at the top of lists when users search for CUIPs, or based onadvertising funds spent for higher promotion of the CUIPs to users ofEVs.

The owner or manager of the CUIP can also set when they desire to getmore people to visit the CUIP. This can be done, for example, bypublishing discounts at particular times. Still further, if CUIP is madeavailable to users of particular routs, those parameters can be providedby the CUIP owner. This data can then be used to publish theavailability of the CUs at the CUIP, based on the parameters set by theowner or manager of the CUIP. The data that is programmed in can beupdated at any time by the owner, so that the data published about theCUIP (i.e., availability of charge and rates) can be made available toEV drivers when the owners of the CUIP want.

For example, if the CUIP is placed next to a coffee shop and coffeesales are slow at 3 pm, the owner of the CUIP can change the rates ofthe charge to a lower value, which may influence some people to choosethe CUIP for charge. If the person stops for charge at the CUIP, theuser of the EV may simply walk to the coffee shop while he/she waits forcharging to progress. In some embodiments, the CUIP owner can alsoprogram discounts to the coffee shop, in addition to the charge. Blendeddiscounts can also be provided, such as if the user spends X at thecoffee shop, the price of the charge can go down. The cloud serviceswill be able to store the data about the CUIP in a charge unit datastore, which is accessible throughout via the charge services connectedapplications. Thus, as more CUIPs are added to the network, richerprofiles can be made based on the data and filtering users of EVs neededto make decisions on where to charge.

Methods and systems for unifying identification of charging units (CUs),is provided. Example methods enable charge unit manufacturers to accessa cloud services system to register their CU or CUs. The CU is providedan ID by the manufacturer and the ID is unified by cloud services. Onceinstalled at charge unit install points (e.g., CUIPs A, B, C, etc.), theowner of the CUIP (i.e., the owner of the location at which the CU isinstalled). The owner of the CUIP can register the CUs to the CUIP, andassign various status details to the CUs, such as discounts,advertisements, etc. The CU metadata is information about the CU (e.g.,where the CU was made, model, use time, status, etc.), the CUIP (e.g.,the address at where the CUIP is located, the businesses proximate tothe CUIPs, discounts provided at the CUIPs, historical pricing forcharge and other services at or near the CUIP, etc.).

The metadata about CUIPs and the CUs can be maintained in user accountson storage of a cloud services system. The data, in some cases, ispersonal to the owner of the CUIP and CU, and that data can be securelyseparated to enable better unification and to provide improved sharingof data that is not confidential or has been indicated private. Thus,the cloud services, in one embodiment, will provide privacy controls toprotect privacy of all of the entities sharing data via cloud services,from CU manufacturers, CUIPs, owners of CUs and CUIPs, EV owners andusers.

Once CUs are registered with a cloud service, the cloud service candeliver ads from local businesses to users of the EVs; users of the EVscan provide their wish lists, and the cloud service can match the bestCUs based on promotions or display ads best targeted to user likes andcharge history. In one embodiment, the cloud service will be an adservice, which non-CU owners may post to if their business is proximateto a CU.

FIG. 5 shows an example of CU manufacturers providing registration ofnew CUs as they are introduced into the market. The CUIPs can access thecloud services to register CUs to CUIPs. The network 140, in oneembodiment, performs the cloud services noted herein. In one embodiment,the network 140 can communicate with geo location data managers 260. Thegeo location data managers can include third party mapping services, GPSproviders, tracking services, mobile phone services, and other internetservices. The CU manufacturer data can be storage in a registrationdatabase, as well as the CUIP and CU data and metadata updating logic.As shown, the network 140 can also be in communication with user pools262, charge unit manufacturer registration data bases 264, CUIPregistration manager 266, CU metadata updater 268, and charge unit datastore 206.

A charge unit data store 206 can hold the various information from CUs,CUIPs, and associated metadata. The various information can be stored invarious locations and in a distributed manner at different data storesand processing can be accomplished via virtualization processing systemsthat enable load balancing across large geographic areas.

In one embodiment, when information regarding EVs historical use, pathstaken during the life time of EVs, maintenance called for EVs,maintenance for CUs, etc., is collected, the data can be used to planfor future events. Future events can include, for example, upgrades toCUs, improved data distribution to drivers of EVs, etc. Historical useof “notifications” can also be used by EV makers and CU makers toimprove the performance of CUs and data mine the information to enableimproved deployment of new CUs and EVs.

As further shown in FIG. 5, charge unit manufacturers 102 a and 102 bare shown connected to input/output (I/O) unifier registrationinterface. This provides a method and process by which CU manufacturerscan introduce CUs to the market or to third parties that will sell andinstall the CUs. The CUs will be provided with an ID 220. The IDprovided to the CUs will be a unified ID. Thus, no matter what themanufacturer that provides the CU, the ID is unified or standardized. Inthis manner, the CU ID can be associated to CUIPs 208. CUIPs 208 willtherefore have one or more CUs associated therewith. The CU metadatashown in FIG. 5 will be mapped to the CU, which includes mapping back tothe manufacturer of the CU, its history of use in the field, andperformance for the owner of the CU that added it to a CUIP. This data,as noted above, will be accessible to the network 140.

A data acquisition model that universally communicates and translatescharge data to and from entities. Entities can include electric vehicles(EVs), electric charge units (CUs), charge producers, charge gridmanagers, charge unit install point (CUIP) owners, charge unit (CU)manufacturers, traffic data producing sources, map producing sources,advertisers, and custom interfaces to each entity. Each entity isprovided a view into the data acquisition model based on who the entityis and what is relevant to the requesting entity.

FIG. 6 shows a diagram of various locations at which the EV may becharged. For example, the EV can be charged at home, at work, at astore, at a charge filling station, etc. The CUIP can be private (e.g.,like a home), or public. The CU will have an ID that is assigned by themanufacturer. The ID that is originally assigned by the manufacturer, inone embodiment, is translated into a universally assigned serial number.In one embodiment, the translation can occur at if the manufacturerregisters the CU for a particular CUIP. In another embodiment, once theCU is installed at a location, the owner of the CU can register the CUto obtain the universal serial number. The universal serial number canthen be used by the cloud services. The cloud services can provide dataregarding available CUIPs when the user of an EV wishes to obtain chargeaway from home. Power grid operators, such as power companies, can alsoidentify the demand of power pulled by the CUIPs. Depending on thedemand coming from the grid locations, the grid demand can be calculatedand used to monitor investments in power producing infrastructure. Inone embodiment, it is also possible to identify if more than one EV ischarging at a particular CUIP. This is particularly important if theCUIP is a private residence. This information can be used by gridoperators to plan for the increase in power use by the CUIP location.Likewise, if certain CUIPs have fewer EVs charging at that location,whether private or public, it is possible that the CUIP is a poorlocation for a CU.

Broadly speaking, the power grid operator can be one that produces powervia one or more ways. Such ways can include fossil fuels, nuclear fuels,solar fuels, wind-power fuels, or combinations thereof.

Methods are provided for tracking locations where charge is obtained byusers and the progress of charging. In one embodiment, applicationsconnected to cloud services allow user to optimize selection oflocations to obtain charge based on occupancy and progress of charge forelectric vehicles (EVs) already charging. The vehicles that are inprocess of being charged are, in one embodiment, in process of a chargeevent (CE). The charge event can be indicative of a fill state of the EVwhile the EV is connected to the vehicle. As vehicles are charged, theCE data can be collected by power grid operators. The grid operators canbe, for example, the local power stations that provide power to thecharge units (CU) that are in process of a CE.

FIG. 7 shows how tracking the CEs, the data can be monitored by powerstations to calculate grid local metrics. This data is also stored orexchanged with charge cloud services, which use this data to provideinformation to the gird operators as well as to operators of EVs.Operators of EVs can access the charge cloud services using theirvehicle displays or via electronics (e.g., computers, smart devices,phones, tablets, etc.).

Synchronizing data between the consumers and the providers of chargeenables for efficient distribution of charge and associated consumptionby EV drivers. For example, grid operators can provide data regardingenergy costs at different times of day, which will also enable real-timechanges in electric rates charged at the CUs. In the same way, if thecharge rates are high at particular times, users of EVs can find or beinformed of better times to charge. This information from grid operatorsback to consumers in real time provides feedback mechanisms so consumersknow of changing rates or more optimal times to charge at particular CUlocations. In a way, the grid operators are no longer passive one waysuppliers of power, but can also influence the consumption by users byproviding real-time data back to the CUs and the cloud services thatprovide the information to user's mobile applications and on-boardvehicle applications.

FIG. 8 illustrates a route providing to a user that drives a commonroute from home to work. This route may be defined by a user by enteringthe route into a smartphone or into the vehicle's on-boarddisplay-electronics. In one embodiment, when the user traverses the mainroute, the user could be provided with various charging options alongthe way. The route can be dynamically adjusted overtime, so thatdifferent charge point install points (CUIPs) having charge units (CUs)will be marked along the route. The route can change, such thatdifferent days the route will be different, depending on occupancy ofthe CUs, the cost of charge at the CUs, or the promotions by businessesthat may be proximate to the CUIPs.

In other embodiments, if a user takes a similar route between home andwork, on a regular basis, the historical routes taken can be stored to adatabase. If the user chooses, the route information can be provided toa database. The route information can, in one embodiment, be maintainedanonymously. Providers of charge and related merchants where the CUs areproximate thereto, can access the database so that charge discounts canbe provided to drivers. For example, the fact that the user, who may beregistered, drives a particular path will be used by a CU provider topopulate discounts to the user. In one embodiment, CUs may not bedirectly along the path, such as CUs E, F and G, but if one of those CUsprovide enough incentive, the time to go off-path will be a benefit.Further, as the user drives along and the charge level changes, certainones of CUs can populate discounts or prices to the user, as the userdrives near a CU that is in proximity to the user who needs charge.Other dynamic updates on available CUs and discounts, based on theposition of a user along a path are possible.

In one embodiment, a method for clustering promotions is described. Whenbusinesses are proximate to each other, the owners are able to clusterpromotions to charge units (CUs). In one embodiment, clusteringpromotions can drive traffic from EVs to stop and get charge atparticular CUs. An example is a coffee shop next to a big box store;both can offer discounts for their charge stations, and the discountscan be joined/shared to increase EV traffic to area.

Cloud services can, in one embodiment, assist in managing theclustering. For example, if one business that provides charge via a CU,can be notified of other businesses that have opted or would like tojoin in on a cluster promotion program. Thus, participants in providingcharge and discounts can be paired based on proximity.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example, where multiple businesses may be locatedproximate to certain CUs. In one embodiment, it is shown that businesslot and grocery store each have CUs located proximate to theirbusinesses. It is also shown that box store, having respective CUs isnot located sufficiently close to business lot and grocery store.

FIG. 10 shows, an example graphical user interface and logic that may beexecuted to find CUs and propose clustering. The proximity can be userselected. A user can login (e.g., the owner of grocery store) to findany other businesses that may be proximately located and may beproviding charge via CUs. Once the proximity is set, on a user interfaceby a user, a set of stores may be populated to the user interface. Forexample, business lot and its CUs may be shown (e.g., CUs M and N). Alsoshown is a proximate business, such as grocery store, which has CUs O,P, Q. The data regarding the available or proximate CUs can be foundusing cloud services which may communicate with a geo-location programas well as a database of CUs and user preferences for the CUs.

For example, if the owners of the CUs post their willingness to offerclustered promotions, those businesses and CUs will be shown. This willallow various owners to arrange a clustered discount. The clustereddiscount can be, for example, a discount on price of charge, or adiscount at business lot and grocery store, or a combination thereof.The owners of the businesses may increase their sales simply byproviding discounts to the CUs and EV owners can be notified of suchdiscounts. Notifications can be provided to the EVs in real time, asdrivers drive their EVs around. Notifications can also be provideddigital devices of users, such as smartphones or other mobile devices.

In one embodiment, a driver can arrive at a parking slot and a sign orsome indicator may be provided. The sign can be digital or not, and canprovide information as to how charge is purchased or enabled. The signmay include, for example, a QR code that can be scanned via the user'sdevice, or a URL that can be typed in, or an application can beaccessed, or a near field communication (NFC) connection can beestablished, etc.

Via a user interface, a user can identify how much charge is needed, oridentify the vehicle or account of the user. An auto-plug (AP) can thenlift up and automatically connect to a plug on the car. The plug on thecar can have a door (under the vehicle) that will automatically openwhen the AP gets in proximity or reaches the appropriate position. Thedoor or area around the door can include sensors or identifying markersthat can be identified by the AP to enable efficient or accurateplugging by the AP. The user (e.g., via a device or in-vehicleelectronics/displays), once connected to a site for enabling charge, canaccess his or her account, pay for services, set notification services,access discounts, maps, advertisements, etc. The charge cloud servicescan, in one embodiment, communicate with a CMS (charge managementsystem) of the charge unit install point (CUIP) where the charge unit(CU) is located.

In an alternative embodiment, the charge access protocol can beinitiated by the vehicle, which communicates wirelessly with the parkingslot to establish a pairing. The paring can provide the user withinformation as to how to connect with services of the charge cloudservices. The charge cloud services can be connected other services ordata over the Internet. Examples can include connection to user accountservices, charge unit CUIDs, CUIP, Ad servers, maps, discount services,notification services, and/or payment services.

In one embodiment, charge events detection and session management can beabstracted. In one embodiment, the system can maintain charge allowanceseparately from the actual hardware of the CU. For example, the user canpay for 10 hours, for example, and use the 10 charge hours at any CUthat will provide access to the charge account. In one embodiment, theuser's account can have a password to enable access to any number ofCUs.

In addition, if charge is purchased by one user, the charge can beshared or transferred to another user. The purchased charge that is notused, in one embodiment, is credited to the user's account. The sharingof charge credit can be made via any device. One some examples, sharingof charge can be by way of wireless device, e.g., by accessing anaccount on the internet, or simply emailing a friend an amount of freecharge to selected CUs or CUs on a particular network.

In some embodiments, charge purchasing can be made via a collectiveaccount, where multiple users join a group to purchase charge. In someembodiments, the group can be a public group and in other embodiments aprivate or semi-private group. By joining a group, charge may bepurchased at reduced rates relative to purchasing charge individually.Purchased charge can, in one embodiment, be defined by a unit of chargeat a unit of cost. Thus, charge can be purchased in advance and/or inbulk by a group to receive favorable pricing. Once charge is purchased,users can use the charge units from one or more CUs over time. In oneembodiment, each contributing member would have their own account,wherein the purchased units of charge are managed. Each user can obtainaccess to their account and view how many units they have available orremaining. Members of the group can also trade or sell charge to eachother.

In one embodiment, the charge units can also be shared with other users,e.g., who are not members of the group. For instance, a user cantransmit or share charge units with other users via mobile applications(or any internet connectable device). In one example, mobileapplications have access to servers that manage cloud services. In someembodiments, the groups can be family groups, wherein a family purchasesan amount of charge for use during a period of time. In some cases,families can purchase charge at lower rates when rates are low andstock/save the charge for future use. As defined herein, use of chargemay be when users access CU to charge or fill a vehicle with charge. Asvehicles of the group or a family charge their vehicles with charge, thecredit or bank of charge owned by that group or family will berespectively depleted.

In some cases, groups can purchase charge at various times, such that acost averaged charge value is presented for charge purchased over aperiod of time (e.g., when charge was purchased at different rates). Thecost average of the charge purchased can then be calculated or displayedon a user interface of a device. In some embodiments, charge purchasedin advance may be restricted based on one or more rules. In one example,charge use of purchased charge can have geographic restrictions. Forinstance, if charge is purchased in a geographic region that is remotefrom where charge will be used (e.g., accessed to fill a vehicle), therate of charge may be adjusted or changed based on where the useractually fills the vehicle. At the time of purchase of charge, the usercan be provided with a geographic region in which the charge of thelower rate/cost can be used. If the charge is used in regions outside ofthe geographic area, different rates may apply. These rules can bepre-set or can be dynamically set over time as the cost of chargechanges (e.g., the cost of producing the charge).

In one embodiment, methods for plugging in a vehicle to obtain chargeand syncing a device to pay for charge are provided. For example,methods and systems are provided to synchronize user devices with chargeunits (CUs) to begin a charging session.

FIG. 11 provides an example of a user arriving to a CU (charge unit) 10with a device 12. The CU can have a display, which can provideinstructions for adding charge to the electric vehicle (EV).

FIG. 12 shows that the user has plugged the charging cord to thevehicle, and has scanned a QR code. Although QR codes are described,other ways to sync the device to a CU to establish a charge session arepossible. For example, the CU can provide a phone number, a credit cardreader, a password input, a user input interface or touch screen, a barcode, a wireless link via WiFi, internet, or Bluetooth, or otherconnection interfacing methods and protocols.

FIG. 13 shows an example screen with instructions, so the user can syncwith the device and select the level of charge (e.g., to fill avehicle). The sync operation can also be by way of accessing an app overthe internet or entering a code of the CU into an app, which isconnected to the internet. Notifications for the user, once charge hasbegun can also be set, either at the CU or on the user's device (e.g.,on screens of graphical user interface).

FIG. 14 shows an example where a user named “Bob,” has an establisheduser account, on the screen of a device. The methods of payment, whichmay have been established earlier or can be established at any time, canbe noted on the user interface (UI). The discounts available for the CUcan also be shown to the user on the screen of the device. The discountsmay be obtained from cloud services, where the suppliers of charge andlocal merchants are able to provide discounts. In one embodiment, thesuppliers and local merchants can identify where discounts are to beprovided, e.g., such as which CUs will provide discounts and the type ofdiscounts.

For instance, if a local merchant has a CU local to their store, thelocal merchant may provide discounts for their business at that CU, asthat may drive foot traffic to the merchant's business. In this manner,merchants can identify CUs to provide discounts. For example, while avehicle charges, a user may visit the local merchant. The discounts canbe assigned to specific geo-locations, instead of specific CUs. Thus,geo-fencing can be used to identify discounts from select CUs. Theselection can by via any device, including by a touch screen where auser circles some area on a map. For example, a business with multiplelocations can advertise by providing discounts at certain CUs locatedwithin a geo-location area. Users, in a similar manner, can scan or findor search geo-locations for CUs, and CUs that offer discounts can bepresented to the user. In one example, discounts may be provided when auser visits the local merchant or buys a good or service at the localmerchant. Once the user visits or buys at the local merchant, themerchant may validate the discount to the user. Validation may occur by,for example, sending data to a server confirming that the discount isvalid, or that the merchant will pay or sponsor part of the charge paidto charge the electric vehicle.

As shown in the figure, “Available Discounts” may be provided in a userinterface of a device, such as when the user finds a charging unit anddecides to obtain charge. A user account of the user may already have apayment process in place, such as stored credit card, Paypal™, NFCcharge, or some other e-commerce payment. One discount example may be,“Buy $10 or more at store X located within 20 feet of the charge unitand get 20% discount,” “Buy $5 in food at store Y located 25 feet fromcharge unit and get 5% discount,” “Read 5 ads and get 10% discount.”

In one embodiment, discounts are not necessarily general advertisements,which may not provide a direct or local or immediate benefit to areader. In general, however, a discount may be considered anadvertisements, however, discounts described herein are specific to acharge unit or charge units at a particular geo-location, and suchdiscounts are targeted toward individuals that may more likely make useof the discounts at a local merchant that may be located proximate tothe particular charge units. To validate the discount, users can visitthe local merchant while the vehicle charges. The discounts can becredit for actual charge bought, discounts on goods or services offeredby the merchant, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, themerchant can validate the discount by emailing the buyer, providing acredit to the buyer's charging account or user account, providing creditto the user via a service network that provides/sells charge, or providesome other benefit for visiting the merchant's business (e.g., while theelectric vehicle charges).

In one embodiment, a user can take an action at the merchant's location,e.g., store. The action, as shown in the examples, can be to buysomething from a local merchant, visit a location merchant, read adsfrom or about a local merchant, etc. In one embodiment, the discount canbe directly tied to the charge used, and because the merchant offeringthe discount is near or proximate to the charge unit, the user is likelywilling to at least visit the merchant while the user waits for theelectric vehicle to charge. In some embodiments, the discount can alsoapply to goods or services provided to the merchant, such that thediscount can be a hybrid of discount for charge used and discount forgoods and services of the merchant. In these examples, charge used maybe considered used when the user is in progress of filling charge. Forexample, the merchant may provide the discount while the user is in themerchant's store, and the discount may be conditioned on the usercompleting to buy a certain amount of charge and/or buying a certainamount of good or services and/or visiting the merchant. The dynamicadjustment of discounts can occur based on a preset number of rules(e.g., what discount, where offered, when offered, how long it lasts,incentives for fast buy, logic for combining discounts, logic forsharing costs of discounts with others, logic for reducing the cost ofthe charge, etc.), as set by the provider the charge and/or the sponsor.

FIG. 15 shows an example where a user, e.g., Bob, can receive anotification at time to, where the system notifies Bob that his car willbe charged in 5 min. If the user gets this notification, the user canreturn to his car timely (e.g., so the user avoids a penalty foroccupying a charging spot beyond when the vehicle is actively charging).At time t1, the user can receive a notification on his device (e.g.,smartphone or portable device having access to the internet) that hiscar is charged. At time t2, if the user has not yet returned to his car,the user can be provided with a notification that the user must removehis car from the charging spot or else pay a fine or pay a fee to stayin the spot for some time.

If the user decides at time t3 that the user wants to stay in the slot,the user can pay a fee to remain in the slot instead of getting a fine.In one embodiment, if the user is visiting a local store while at timet3, the user can be provided with a notification or data that the usercan purchase some items at the store, e.g., 10, and the user will beallowed to stay in the spot longer. In one embodiment, the CU can have alight indicator that shows the level of charge of the vehicle. If thevehicle charge is near empty (but starting to fill with charge) or low,the light can be green or orange or some other indicating color orlighting, indicating that the user is correctly parked and paying forcharge. If charging is done, the light can turn to red (or some othercolor to indicated charge complete or finished). This will signal toothers in the area that this slot is just holding a car that is full andthe user of the EV may return soon.

If the user gets the notification and decides to pay for time to say inthe slot, the light on the CU may be changed to a color other than red(or change the indicator to not finished or charging is in progress), sothat nearby people will not get annoyed that the vehicle is taking up aCU spot when fully charged.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example of a user's device obtaining a code froma CU at a charge unit install point (CUIP). Cloud services can thenallow the user to access his or her account to setup the chargeservices. In FIG. 17, it is shown that an App of a device or EV canautomatically connect to the charge cloud services. FIG. 18 illustratesan example process when a user logs in to an App, and the App providesthe user, Bob, with information about his vehicle. This information canbe obtained wirelessly by way of the EV sending its info to the cloudservices (or via an App on a user device).

In one embodiment, the App can allow the user to set an amount of chargeto add, which may be based on estimated time to fill. The estimate canbe calculated dynamically, based on the charge in the car and/or basedon a charging rate capability of the CU that the user connects to forcharge. Thus, the time estimate can be accurately determined to allowselection of the charge amount. The selection may be made, for example,based on the amount of time that the user has available for charging.This information can also be translated in terms of miles or distance.For example, the user can be provided with information as to how muchtime it will take to add charge and how much distance that charge mayprovide the EV.

Notifications can also be set for the charge. This allows the user tospecify how many and what type of notifications he or she wishes toreceive. More settings are also available, such as for the car, the CU,or a combination of car and CU.

In one embodiment, a user can plug in a car, and then sync his phone tothe CU. The CU may display a QR code (or other ways as noted above) thatsync to a phone, or the phone (or device) can capture an RFID tag fromcharge station (CU). Once the car starts charging, the phone can displaya progress indicator changing as the charge is ongoing. Once complete,the user may be provided a text (or any other type of message—i.e., touser's device). While the car is charging, the user may get warnings,e.g., 5 minutes till fully charged or till filled up to a point. Thisway, the user can go back to the car and drive away or move the car outof the charge station parking spot.

Methods and systems for charging vehicles in structures or areas arealso disclosed. Systems and structures are provided, which can includeceiling mounted charge cords, as shown in FIG. 19. When the user parks,the ceiling mount cord can drop down for charging the car. In oneexample, if the user parks in a spot, the user can look up (or in theproximity) and see a parking slot number above the car. The user canpunch in the number into the phone/or car display (or sync to the localcommunications interface) to release the cord that is lowered orprovided so the user can plug in the car. This will give the user chargefor the car for a fee and the user can be notified when the charge isdone or its progress.

FIG. 19 further shows a parking structure, which can include one or morefloors. In one embodiment, the structure has cords that connect to theceiling and can move along a track. The cords can be delivered to theuser's parking spot, and the user can connect the cord to the vehicle.The user can also have a vehicle that includes more than one chargecell, and each cell has external connectors to allow more than onecharge cord to connect to the vehicle. This is a multi-charge cordconnection embodiment, which can also provide notifications to theuser's device via charge services. In the example shown, a user mayconnect to the internet to access charge services. The charge servicesmay provide access to a parking garage charge location, which includeslocation identifiers and motor controls. The location identifiers maydefine where the vehicle is in the garage, so that the charge cord canbe delivered or dropped, or made accessible at the location where thevehicle is parked. This provides for flexibility in charge delivery, asparking spots need not be fully dedicated to only charge EVs, but canalso be used by non-EVs.

FIG. 20 illustrates an example of a vehicle having multiple charge cells(e.g., batteries B1 and B2). Each battery can be connected to adifferent CU, e.g., CU1 and CU2 (or one CU with multiple connectors). Inone embodiment, this may allow the vehicle to charge faster. In oneembodiment, the charge units are segmented, to allow faster charging,such as to battery segments B1 and B2, which are connected to a powermanager (MGR). CU1 and CU2 are shown connected, respectively, to B2 andB1, for example. The method provides for separately connecting onecharge unit (CU) to each battery segment. In one embodiment, charge timeis reduced by connecting two or more CUs to two or more battery segmentsof one vehicle. In the illustrated example flow, segmented batteries areprovided for one vehicle.

FIG. 21 illustrates an example where multiple CUs can be connected tomultiple charge units (e.g., segmented batteries) of an EV. Thisprovides for even faster charging, when multiple CUs (or cords of a CU)can connect up to a single vehicle. As shown, multiple CUs (e.g., CU #1,CU #2, CU #3, . . . , CU # n) are connected to different batteries orsegments of batteries B of a single vehicle, which may reduce chargetime of a vehicle.

FIG. 22 shows how tracking the CEs, the data can be monitored by powerstations to calculate grid local metrics. This data is also stored orexchanged with charge cloud services, which use this data to provideinformation to the gird operators as well as to operators of EVs.Operators of EVs can access the charge cloud services using theirvehicle displays or via electronics (e.g., computers, smart devices,phones, tablets, etc.).

Synchronizing data between the consumers and the providers of chargeenables for efficient distribution of charge and associated consumptionby EV drivers. For example, grid operators can provide data regardingenergy costs at different times of day, which will also enable real-timechanges in electric rates charged at the CUs. In the same way, if thecharge rates are high at particular times, users of EVs can find or beinformed of better times to charge. This information from grid operatorsback to consumers in real time provides feedback mechanisms so consumersknow of changing rates or more optimal times to charge at particular CUlocations. In a way, the grid operators are no longer passive one waysuppliers of power, but can also influence the consumption by users byproviding real-time data back to the CUs and the cloud services thatprovide the information to user's mobile applications and on-boardvehicle applications.

In one embodiment, a method for clustering promotions is described. Whenbusinesses are proximate to each other, the owners are able to clusterpromotions to charge units (CUs). In one embodiment, clusteringpromotions can drive traffic from EVs to stop and get charge atparticular CUs. An example is a coffee shop next to a big box store;both can offer discounts for their charge stations, and the discountscan be joined/shared to increase EV traffic to area.

Cloud services can, in one embodiment, assist in managing theclustering. For example, if one business that provides charge via a CU,can be notified of other businesses that have opted or would like tojoin in on a cluster promotion program. Thus, participants in providingcharge and discounts can be paired based on proximity.

In one embodiment, charging parking spots, reservation system andlocalization systems are provided. Usually, when users drive todestinations, they are unaware of where to park their vehicle. Users mayalso be unaware of where they may find a charge unit to plug in theirvehicles. If a destination is popular restaurant, a busy part of town,or a location where parking is scarce, the chances of finding an openparking spot are low. Moreover, the chances of finding a parking spotwith vehicle charging capabilities are lower.

In one embodiment, parking spots are configured as “smart” parkingspots. A parking spot is smart, when electronics and software areprovided to enable users to access spots for a remote reservations, toassist drivers in finding open spots, to identify spots with vehiclecharging capabilities, to assist in finding parking spots close toparticular destinations. The parking spots are smart, also because theywill assist users to be more efficient with their time, as spots can bemade available or reserved for users, whether they need charge or justneed to park, or both. The parking spots are also configured tointerface with cloud services, so that users can communicate with one ormore servers, websites, apps, or the like to receive real-time updateson parking availability and charge availability or both.

In one embodiment, driver can input their destination, destination time,destination length of stay, among other metrics either from a computer,or any networked device. This information is then processed by acharging parking spot reservation system. The system will then search aradius around the user's destination and return a listing of chargingparking spots, time of availability closest to the user's arrival time,charge pricing, length of time available, among other information. Inone embodiment, the inventory of charging parking spaces may be similarto the inventory of meeting rooms in an office environment. For example,just as an office worker can browse a listing of open meeting rooms andbook them in advance, so can user pre-book a parking spot close to wherethey will be needing to park for their destination (e.g., dinnerreservation, event reservation, next to their place of work, next to thenext errand location, etc.).

A user can book their charging parking spot in advance and pre-pay notonly the parking fee for the amount of time the car will be taking upthe space, but also pre-pay the amount of charge time the user will beusing.

In one embodiment, the amount of parking stay and the amount of chargetime do not have to be the same. For example, a user can book an hour ina charging spot but may only need, e.g. 30 minutes of charge. As anexample, the charging parking spot will either stop charging when the 30minutes are up or when the vehicle is full of charge. If the vehiclecharge becomes full before the 30 minutes of charge are up, the user canreceive a credit for their next “park and charge” or a refund to thefinancial institution of their choosing, or simply only charged forcharge used. In one example, the remaining time up to the one hour canbe charged to the user as a prorated parking fee. Using the example, ifthe user reserves one hour, and only charges for 30 min, the user willbe charged for the 30 min of charge (depending on charge consumed), and30 min of parking time, as the user will continue to occupy the space.

If the user occupies the space for 30 min past the charge time, thecharge unit (CU), in one embodiment, may indicate in-use, so thatpersons local to the charge unit will not feel that the vehicle istaking up a charge space without actually charging. In accordance withembodiments defined herein, the user may also get notificationsregarding charge status and parking status. The notifications canprovide a breakdown of the cost associated with charging and parking.The notifications can also show a user's charge account and remainingbalances, if the user has a pre-paid or pre-payment authorizationaccount with a charge service.

The reservation of parking time and parking charge time may be done inadvance or may be done by “single touch” and/or “voice command.” If auser has not pre-booked a charge parking spot, they can do soon-the-fly. For example, a user drives to their intended location but isunaware of the closest park and charge location. Instead of drivingaround to visually find the park and charge spot, the user can ask thesystem to find and reserve the closest spot on-the-fly. The user canbrowse through locations that fit the user's needs, cost, andconvenience.

For example, three results may return for park and charge spots near theuser. Two of them are only available for 30 minutes; one of them isavailable for 1 hour. If the user needs one hour, the user can reserveand pre-pay park and charge time for the spot. The charge and parklocations may be incentive based. The user may be presented with thelatest deals and incentives to park at certain locations. In oneembodiment, user may choose to park and charge at the location thatoffers the best deal or coupon. Once a park and charge spot is reservedand confirmed, either in advance or on-the-fly, the user is sent aconfirmation as well as automatically sent navigation and addressinformation which can be integrated or sent to the vehicle to aid infinding the reserved spot.

In some implementations, the park and charge reservation system willhave a mobile application component that may alert the driver when theirpark and/or charge will be expiring as well as provide periodicreminders of their expiration time. If expiration time is approaching,if available, the system will present park time extensions, if not, theuser will need to move their vehicle to avoid overage charges and/orfines. These overage charges may be automatically charged to thereservation system user's account or mailed to the address on file.

Park and charge locations that have been reserved by another user willnot allow parking or charging to another user. If a user attempts topark or charge at a location already reserved by another user, audio,visual (e.g., sign/indicator) and/or mobile alerts will be sent to thedriver to remove their vehicle or face penalties. If an infracting userdoes not remove their car, a notification will be sent to the originaluser that reserved the spot with alternatives such as a new list of parkand charge locations to transfer to, or refund options.

Once a user has parked at their reserved and paid park and chargelocation and the user has paid for charge time, the vehicle may becharged. The type of charging method may vary depending on the localsystem. Some charging systems require cables and plugs, while others cancharge wirelessly via a charging mat that may be installed or placed onthe ground. In one embodiment, wireless charging can be by way ofinduction or inductive coupling between inductors disposed on theunderside of the vehicle and inductors on the charging mat, pad orstructure. In one embodiment, inductive charging systems may include aprimary coil in the charger induces a current in a secondary coil in thedevice being charged, e.g., such as the batter of the electric vehicle.In other embodiments, the wireless charging is enabled withelectromagnetic communication devices, which are capable of transferringcharge and/or current to a receiving structure of the vehicle. Othercharging systems may include resonant inductive coupling, to allow forwider proximity separations for wireless charging, e.g., for tallervehicles. In other embodiments, a retractable conductor or by manual orrobotic charging systems may be used.

In one embodiment, the wireless charging pad may be disposed in parkingspots, which can function to receive vehicles with or without wirelesscharging capabilities. If a vehicle with capabilities parks in the spot,and if the vehicle is determined to have an account for charging, thecharging will take place automatically without user intervention. Forexample, a user may have a credit card on account, so that whenever theuser parks in a spot having wireless charging services, the chargingoccurs automatically. The charging can also stop automatically when thevehicle battery is determined to be full. The user is then, using cloudservices, provided with an account summary of any or all uses of the oneor more charging pads in a network, and billed for such chargeautomatically. Thus, the pad will have access to a network to transmitdata regarding use by various vehicles, to identify vehicles, to providecharge services, and communicate with one or more servers. The padelectronics, software or hardware or servers, can thus communicate withcloud services, the Internet and users and vehicles. The communicationcan provide information regarding use of the charging pad services,discounts, and other promotions.

In some implementations, the park and charge location may be a smart pador mat, which has its charging mechanism embedded in the concrete orasphalt. It may also be a modular bolt-on solution, or movable system.In either scenario, the smart park and charge location will be able tocommunicate and identify the vehicle and user so that the system knowshow to dispense charge, how to bill and when to update its records. Forinstance, if the vehicle is added to the account of a user, the vehiclecan be automatically identified to the user's account, for efficientpairing and use, without having to manually enter user account data.

FIG. 23A shows two conventional parking situations. One situation is aconventional parking lot where vehicle parking spaces are arranged in avariety of fashions next to each other. Each parking spot was arrangedat the time when the parking lot was constructed. In one embodiment,vehicle-charging pads can be constructed to reside at each parking spot.In another embodiment, vehicle-charging pads can be retrofitted toinclude overlay or underlay, so that vehicles can move over the pads andinterface for wireless charging. In still another embodiment, thisarrangement can be applied to conventional street parking locations, sothat vehicles can obtain wireless charging via charge pads. As mentionedabove, a wireless charging pad is one that can communicate chargewirelessly to a receiving pad or surface of the vehicle (e.g., on theunderside, a side, or sides, or top, or inside, and/or combinations ofareas of the vehicle), so as to charge one or more batteries of theelectric vehicle.

FIG. 23B shows a parking spot that has a vehicle-charging pad. In oneembodiment, each charging pad may be associated with a charging computer(e.g., electronics and a current supply (i.e., power). The charge padmay include a charging surface. The charge pad, in one embodiment, maybe associated or connected to a display or interface, which allowscommunication of status. The status may be communicated using a chargeindicator and/or interface. In one embodiment, the charge status may becommunicated to the vehicle electronics or smartphone of the user, inaddition to the interface of the charge pad.

FIG. 24 shows an example conventional parking spot from a top view,showing a vehicle-charging pad in relation to a conventional parkingspot and a side view. The side view shows the relation of thevehicle-charging pad to the conventional parking spot in either anembedded or overlay fashion. A conversion kit may be utilized in orderto convert an ordinary conventional parking spot into a parking spotwith vehicle charging capabilities. In one embodiment, the charging padmay be coupled to a power supply, and electronics. The electronics candetect when a vehicle has approached and/or the charging plate of thevehicle has been placed over the charging pad.

In one embodiment, the charging pad may include self-aligning mechanismsthat may move at least part of the charging pad or surface of thecharging pad so it is better aligned with a charging plate or surface ofthe vehicle, which may not have perfectly aligned over the pad. In oneembodiment, a better alignment may enable more efficient or fasterthroughput of charge transfer from the power supply of the charging padto the charge plate of the vehicle. As mentioned above, the charging padmay include electronics or a computer that can communicate with cloudservices. Cloud services will enable users that wish to use the chargingpads to find them when they need charge, reserve use of the chargingpads, and allow merchants to provide discounts or promotions oradvertisements to users of the charge pads.

FIG. 25 shows the interaction between a vehicle and a charging padlocated on a conventional parking spot. In this embodiment, the vehicleshown is interacting with the vehicle in two possible fashions. One suchmethod is by retractable charging conductor and the second method (oralternate method) is wireless charging, e.g., charging by induction.This vehicle charging pad view also demonstrates one such chargingcomputer location as well as the possible vehicle charging pad powersources.

In one embodiment, when a vehicle arrives at a charging spot, chargingcan occur automatically, if the vehicle is identified to be a member orpaid subscriber of a charge providing service. For example, the vehicleis automatically identified, the vehicle and account are automaticallyverified and the charge can then be automatically triggered to starttransfer to the vehicle. This provides for an intelligent way ofcharging, which can charge a vehicle over time or allow the vehicle toremain charged over time, e.g., during a day of errands or shoppingaround town.

That is, the vehicle may stop at several parking spots, and if some havecharging pads, each time the vehicle stops, some charge can betransferred automatically to the vehicle, without requiring user inputon interfaces of the charge unit (CU), or input to the vehicle userinterface, or even without input to an app. Thus, if the vehicle ispre-signed up for the service, the vehicle can take advantage of gettingcharge each time it parks in various parking slots that may havecharging pads that are part of the network of charging pads or CUs. Insome embodiments, a user can place conditions on when to get charge inadvance. For example, the user may not want to purchase charge fromcertain charge providers. Some charge providers may be too slow or tooold of a system, or provide high rates.

In still further embodiments, logic can be provided to allow orautomatically get charge from charging pads when the charge rate/cost isbelow some level (e.g., S/charge unit). If the charge is higher thanthat charge level or rate or cost, the system will disable automaticcharging. Therefore, filters are provided to enable the user to applylogic of when charge should be transferred to the vehicle. The logic canbe based on various or one or more conditions of “when this is true”then “charge automatically.” Or, “when A and B are true”, then “chargeautomatically only at charge units of brand X.”

In one implementations, the logic can be provided by a user through agraphical user interface that is easy to understand. Thus, the user canplace custom conditions on when to get automatic charge, when it is notdesired to get automatic charge, and the like. Still further, adding orplacing automatic charge conditions can be used for learning of thetypes of conditions the user likes or dislikes. The system or cloudsystem can use these inputs as part of a learning algorithm to providerecommendations. The recommendations can be regarding more setting forselecting when to obtain charge, or recommendations regarding specificconditions or sets of conditions, based on similarities orprobabilities.

Vehicle charging pads can be powered by any of the following sources ora combination of the following sources, including but not limited to,solar power, a power station, a power grid, a fuel cell, quick dischargecapacitors, among others. In solar technology embodiments, it isenvisioned that it is possible for some Charge Unit (CU) to be suppliedwith all or part solar power, to reduce the strain on the conventionalpower utility grid.

FIG. 26 shows one vehicle charging pad embodiment having the ability tointeract via a network interface with other vehicle charging pads orvehicle charging parking spots, reservation systems, payment systems,charge indicator interfaces and logic, charging and dispensing logic,vehicle identification systems, location and GPS information, servicerequests, cloud services, among others.

In one embodiment, the vehicle that may arrive to a CU, and park over acharge pad, can be identified in a number of ways. One way is for thecharge pad or electronics near the charge pad to communicate with awireless system of the vehicle. The wireless system can communicate acode, a vehicle ID, and identifier, a serial number, an encryptedmessage, a token, or some of other data that can be used foridentification. In a like manner, the pad or electronics can receive thedata wirelessly and perform a lookup on one or more services, todetermine if the vehicle is associated with a user account that has beenpre-registered to use the charge pad. If the vehicle is notpre-registered, the user may be provided with the option to register oruse the services in guest mode (e.g., by providing information andbilling data). In one embodiment, the wireless communication can be byway of a WiFi signal, a Bluetooth signal, an NFC signal, a shore-waveradio signal, or a type of radio link. In one embodiment, pairing and/ora link may be established (e.g., for a session), in case the vehicle andthe charge pad (or electronics associated on or near the charge pad)needed to communicate data during a period of time.

In some embodiments, identification of the vehicle and/or that thevehicle is arriving at a parking spot having a charging spot and/or CU,can be carried out using various ways. Such ways can include using acamera or cameras located proximate to the parking spot. The cameras canidentify a vehicle by capturing images of the vehicle and identifyingand/or tracking a license plate. The image data of the license plate canbe read and identified to determine the numbers and/or letters. Once thealphanumeric data of the license plate is identified, it can becommunicated to an online server to perform a lookup. The lookup can bea request to a server or service or API, to identify the vehicle. Insome cases, the lookup can be to a public agency or to a private firm orentity, which can have the plate data pre-stored for future lookup toidentify the user and/or user account. In another embodiment, thevehicle can be detected entering a parking spot using sensors.

The sensors can be, for example, installed in the ground or surface overwhich the vehicle will reside. The sensors can be of various types. Somesensors can be weight sensors to determine when a vehicle is physicallyover at least part of the parking spot. Some sensors can also be motionsensors located in, around or next to a parking spot. The motion sensorscan determine movement in or around the parking spot, to determine whena vehicle arrives. In other embodiments, the sensors can includeinfrared sensors, which can be used to identify when an object having ashape or size of a vehicle is located in the spot. Other sensors caninclude accelerometers or gyroscopes that may be connected or placed onor near a surface of the parking spot, such that motion of a vehicleentering the parking spot can cause the motion, which can be detected.Audio sensors can also be used, to determine when sound has entered azone of the parking spot. In some embodiments, combination of one ormore of the sensors can be used, such that multiple points of data canbe used to determine when a vehicle is present or is approaching aparking spot. Other sensors can also be used, such that the sensors canidentify presence.

Once the vehicle is identified to be present, the vehicle can beidentified. As noted above, the identification can occur usingcommunication between the vehicle and the electronics of the CU or asmart device of the user (e.g., who may be in the vehicle) and theelectronics of the CU. The communication can be used, for example, toestablish a pairing, e.g., after the vehicle has been identified to havearrived or is approaching the parking spot and/or garage, and/orstructure, and/or parking lot, and/or geo-location or geo-fence area.

In some embodiments, a vehicle can be identified using a tracking deviceof the vehicle. For example, a vehicle can be equipped or can beconfigured with a plug-in device (e.g., to the vehicle data port), whichenables vehicle tracking. Thus, if the vehicle is being tracked, e.g.,using GPS and/or other tracking sensors or system, the plug-in devicecan be used to determine that the vehicle is positioned over a parkingspot. The plug-in device can also communication with a website orserver. Thus, multiple devices, system or electrics can communicate witha server or servers of cloud systems, so as to identify vehiclelocations. Once the vehicle has been identified, the CU canautomatically provide charge to the vehicle, without further user input.If the user settings dictate that user approval is required orlimitation on which CUs provide automatic charging, that information canbe provided to the user's device, the vehicle electronics, the user'ssmartphone, and/or the user's smart watch.

In some embodiments, data collected by plug-in devices and/or stored onservers, and/or stored in cloud systems based on data obtained from avehicle and/or a device associated with a user account (e.g., userdevice, smartphone, smart watch, etc.), can be communicated to CUs. Thisinformation can be used by a CU to provide various charging rates. Forexample, a user that is a frequent user of a CU, or a CU supplier, or aCU location, can be provided with different rates, e.g., as a frequentpurchaser or buyer of charge at that location. Thus, loyalty plans canbe automatically triggered and provided to users of CUs, in an automaticform.

In one embodiment, the plug-in device is useful for vehicles that arenot already equipped with connected technologies. In some cases, even ifa vehicle is equipped with connected technologies, the plug-in devicecan provide additional data. In such configurations, the plug-in devicecan provide data that is in supplemental to the electronics of theconnected vehicle or can provide different data.

In one embodiment, the charging unit computer may control the operationof the charging surface or pad and it's systems and interfaces. In thisexample, the vehicle charging spot has the ability to take incomingcharge/parking reservations remotely via network, send responses back tothe reservation system via network and communicate in an asynchronousfashion.

FIG. 27 shows one example scenario where a user, through a reservationinterface (on board or remotely via any networked connected device) cansend their current location, destination location, reservation searchradius max, charge time required, park time required, paymentinformation among other metrics to a park and charge reservation system.

The reservation system queries available park and charge locations usingthe criteria provided by the user and responds to the user withconfirmations, directions, maps, receipts, parking space availabilitylistings and maps, discounts, deals, credits, ads, charge status alerts,among other metrics, data and/or indicators. Accordingly, cloud serviceswill provide access to charging pads/mats in a similar way as a chargeunit (CU). For more information on wireless charging pads associatedtechnology, reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,948 issued Mar.12, 1996 to Bruni et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 8,008,888 issued Aug. 30,2011 to Oyobe et al., each of which are incorporated herein byreference.

In one embodiment, a charge pad/mat is viewed as just another type ofCU, and services provided to users for finding, use, discounts, access,user accounts, cloud services, and the like for conventional plug CUsapplies to wireless charge pad CUs.

In some embodiments, a method can provide one or more user interfaces toenable a user to make settings, inputs or commands to a chargingapplication or interface. For example, the automatic charging systemthat detects when a vehicle arrives in a parking spot with a wirelesscharging pad can look up preferences. The preferences may be toautomatically start charging every time the vehicle arrives at a slotwith a wireless charging pad and the pad is part of a network of CUsthat the user has an authorized user account.

In some embodiments, the user may select to only enable automaticcharging when the vehicle parks over certain types of wireless chargingpads, pads made by specific manufacturers, or pads that are services byparticular companies or charge providing entities. In some embodiments,a user can select a geo-fence, to define where automatic charging isallowed and where automatic charging is not allowed.

In some embodiments, a user can circle or outline some area on a map toidentify where the user wishes to use charge pads. In some cases, theuser can identify where not to use charge pads, e.g., if rates are toohigh a particular times, or when service is poor or when the chargingrate or speed is too slow. Thus, rating information can be populated orshared to other sites, so that richer data can be crowd-sourced andutilized to provide recommendations of where to find charge pads, chargepads that work best, charge pads that don't work, broken charge pads, orservice requests to charge pad providers.

In still other embodiments, applications (e.g., Apps) can be defined toprovide access to the user's account, e.g., via any device and/or thecomputing system of the vehicle and displays of the vehicle. In stillmore embodiments, users may be able to notify friends of a socialnetwork where charging pads are most useful, faster in charging, providebest discounts, or are less busy or times of less use. The social datacan be by way of any social network, a text message, a group of users,post to a news feed, or the like.

A number of embodiments are described below, with reference to specificimplementations that refer to vehicles, but such implementations shouldbe broadly construed to include any type of vehicle, structure orobject. Without limitation, vehicles can include any type of movingobject that can be steered, and can include vehicles that are for humanoccupancy or not. Vehicles can include those that are privately owned,owned by corporations, commercially operated vehicles, such as buses,automobiles, trucks, cars, buses, trains, trolleys, etc. Examplevehicles can include those that are combustion engine based, electricengine (EV) based, hybrids, or other types of energy source vehicles.

A cloud processing system, as described herein, will include systemsthat are operated and connected to the Internet or to each other usinglocal networking communication protocols. A cloud processing system canbe defined as an interconnected and distributed physical or virtualsoftware defined network that utilizes virtual or physical processingand storage machines that enable various applications and operatingsystems to facilitate the communication with and between various clientdevices (vehicles, user devices, structures, objects etc.). Thecommunication with and between the various client devices will enablethe cloud processing system to deliver additional processinginformation, data, and real-time metrics concerning data obtained fromother processing systems as well as client feedback data. Thedistributed nature of the cloud processing system will enable users ofvarious vehicles, structures and objects to access the Internet, and bepresented with more flexible processing power that will provide therequested services in a more effective manner.

The processing systems can be defined from various data centers thatinclude multiple computing systems that provide the processing power toexecute one or more computer readable programs. The processing of thecomputer readable programs can produce operations that can respond torequests made by other processing systems that may be local to avehicle's electronic system. For example, a vehicle can includeelectronics that utilize memory and a processor to execute programinstructions to provide services.

In other embodiments, the electronics of a vehicle can synchronize witha user's portable electronics. The user's electronics can include, forexample mobile devices that include smart phones, tablet computers,laptop computers, general-purpose computers, special purpose computers,etc. The various computing devices of the vehicle, and or the computingdevices of the user (smart devices) can be connected to the Internet orto each other. Provided that a user has access or account access to thecloud service, the cloud processing services on the Internet can provideadditional processing information to the electronics of the vehicle.

The wireless communication can include cellular tower communication thatcouples and communicates through various networks to the Internet, toprovide access to cloud processing. Other methods can include providingWi-Fi communication to local Wi-Fi transmitters and receivers, whichcommunicate with cloud processing 120. Other types of communication caninclude radio frequency communication, such as Bluetooth communicationor combinations of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It should be understood thatvehicle electronics can communicate with cloud processing 120 via anynumber of communication methods, so long as exchanges of data can bemade with cloud processing 120 from time to time.

The communication can be made by vehicle electronics while the vehicleis on or when the vehicle is off, so long as communication andprocessing circuitry of vehicle electronics has a power source. Thepower source can include battery power that powers vehicle electronicsto communicate with cloud processing 120 when vehicle is turned off.When vehicle is turned on, the battery that drives vehicle electronicscan be recharged.

In one embodiment, at a remote location, a user is able to access a userinterface for an application, which provides users access to their useraccounts. A user account can be for a user and the user can add one ormore vehicles, objects, data or appliances for remote reporting, viewingand control. In one embodiment, a user is an owner or user of a vehicle.The user can register the vehicle with a remote service.

The remote service can be accessed over the Internet, such as via awebsite or application of a portable device. The remote service canprovide a multitude of cloud services for the user, such as remotecontrol features, remote viewing services, remote alarm controls, remotecamera activation, remote audio/video recording of the vehicle (i.e.,areas around the vehicle and inside the vehicle). In one embodiment, thevehicle is able to connect to the Internet (e.g., when the vehicleengine is off, on, and/or is occupied or un-occupied) to allow a user,via a remote cloud service, to access features of the vehicle. Thevehicle can be accessed when running, when parked, when stopped, whenmoving, etc. The vehicle and its audio recording devices and videocameras can be accessed from remote locations, to allow users toremotely communicate with the vehicle or with people riding or residinginside the vehicle.

The remote communication can also allow a person to communicate remotelywith people standing outside (or inside) of a vehicle. For instance, ifa user is accessing his or her vehicle from a remote location, camerasinstalled in and/or on the vehicle allow the remote user to see a personstanding proximate to the vehicle. The remote user can then communicatewith a person standing proximate to the vehicle using microphones andspeakers of the vehicle.

In some embodiments described herein, vehicles, structures and objectsmay include circuitry and communication logic to enable communicationwith a cloud processing system over the Internet.

In one embodiment, the services provided by the electronic systems of avehicle can include services that access the various components orsubsystems of a vehicle, such as door locks, service histories, userprofiles, audio settings, entertainment settings, mapping functions,communications systems, telecommunication synchronization systems,speakers, heating and cooling functions, auto-engine start/shut-offremotely via smart devices, remote heating/cooling initiation, remoteface-to-face conferencing, etc. The electronic systems within a vehiclecan also provide a user interface, such as a graphical user interface.The graphical user interface can include a plurality of buttons,controls and transceivers to receive input from a user. The input from auser can also be provided by voice input, facial recognition, eye-retinascans, fingerprint scans, a combination of biometrics, or via acapacitive or regular touchscreen contained or displayed within thevehicle, the vehicle's glass, doors, dashboard etc.

In one embodiment, vehicles can maintain information regarding wherethey are, where they are heading and their destination maintained whichis maintained by GPS and navigation systems on board. The informationcollected and maintained by every vehicle may be mutually exclusive,meaning that only each individual vehicle is aware of its own heading,rate of speed and current location. This information, in one embodimentis crowd sourced and/or crowd shared/consumed for use in for accidentavoidance or other communication. By networking vehicles within acertain radius together, all individually location-aware vehicles becomeaware of all other vehicles in their sphere of influence. Vehicles maynetwork with vehicles in their range using wireless communicationsystems such as but not limited to Wi-Fi, Wi-Gig LTE, cellular, radio,near field communication or other methods.

In one embodiment, the communications of the vehicle and electronics ofthe vehicle will enable direct communication with a user of the vehicle.The user of the vehicle can include, for instance, the owner of thevehicle, a driver of the vehicle, or any third party having access tothe vehicle (either to drive the vehicle, to monitor the vehicleremotely, etc.)

The access to the data can also be encrypted to prevent unauthorizedaccess to the data. GPS and mapping services can also be incommunication with the cloud processing provide data concerning thelocations of the vehicles and activities that occurred to the vehicleswhen at particular locations. The cloud processing can be access by thevehicles themselves using their electronics and communications, viamobile devices, from home, from work, etc.

In some embodiments, the vehicles may establish peer-to-peer links tofacilitate fast transfer of data. In other embodiments, vehicles maylink to each other using pairing algorithms that allow the vehicles toexchange data using WiFi, Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), orsome other short range communication protocol.

A user's APP homepage may also include dynamically updating sections inwhich the most important information at a given time may be displayed orsurfaced to a user. If a user has parked in a certain parking area, heor she may want to monitor metrics related to incidents that may haveoccurred to his or her vehicle, vehicles around his or her vehicle, anydynamically received alerts, as well as precaution levels. Additionally,a user may choose to configure his or her APP homepage to display themost pertinent audio and video feeds to their needs.

In one embodiment, the vehicles can communicate directly with each othervia a temporary pairing process. The temporary pairing process can beautomatically enabled when vehicles become too close to each other, forexample. When this happens, local communication between the vehicles,such as a peer-to-peer connection, Wi-Fi connection, NFC connection, orBluetooth connection can be established to enable the vehicles to shareinformation concerning their proximity to one another. This localcommunication will enable one or both vehicles to take correctionactions or alert a driver to change course or trigger automaticcollision prevention measures (e.g., more aggressive notifications toone or both operators, slow the speed of one or more vehicles, changethe driving direction of one or more vehicles, etc.). Once the closeproximity communication occurs and some corrective action is made, thedata regarding the occurrence and the actions taken can be communicatedto the cloud system for storage. The information can then be viewed by aregistered user having access to an account for the vehicle(s).

In other embodiments, examples are described with reference to methodsand systems for providing auxiliary charging mechanisms that can beintegrated or coupled to a vehicle, to supplement the main battery of avehicle. The auxiliary charging mechanism can be in the form of anauxiliary battery compartment that can receive a plurality of chargedbatteries. The auxiliary battery compartment can be charged without thevehicle, and can be installed or placed in the vehicle to providesupplemental charge to the vehicles main battery. Thus, if the mainbattery becomes drained/used, the auxiliary battery compartment, havinga plurality of charged batteries, can resume providing charge to thevehicle.

In one embodiment, the auxiliary battery compartment is configured tohold a plurality of smaller batteries, referred to herein as “voltbars.” A volt bar should also be interchangeably viewed to be a “chargeunit.” The charge unit is a physical structure that holds charge, asdoes a battery. A charge unit can also be a fraction of charge, whichmay be contained in a physical structure.

Broadly speaking, a volt bar is a battery that can be inserted into anauxiliary battery carrier. The auxiliary battery carrier, orcompartment, can be lifted by human and placed into a vehicle, such asthe trunk of the vehicle. The auxiliary charging carrier can then beremoved from the vehicle to provide charge to the volt bars containedwithin the auxiliary battery carrier. For instance, owners of electricvehicles can purchase an auxiliary battery carrier and fill theauxiliary battery carrier with a plurality of volt bars.

In one embodiment, the user will charge all of the volt bars by chargingthe auxiliary battery carrier before the auxiliary battery carrier isplaced into the vehicle. In one embodiment, the auxiliary batterycarrier, and its volt bars can be charged utilizing the charge providedfrom the main battery. For instance, if the vehicle is charged overnightutilizing the primary charging receptacle, and the auxiliary batterycarrier is connected to the vehicle (containing volt bars), the voltbars in the auxiliary battery carrier will also be charged. In oneembodiment, once the main battery and the vehicle are charged, thecharge will then be transferred to the volt bars contained in theauxiliary battery carrier. As such, charging the vehicle will accomplishthe task of charging the main battery as well as the auxiliary batterycarrier that includes a plurality of volt bars. In another embodiment,the volt bars can be directly inserted into slots defined on the vehicleitself. In this example, manufacturers will design compartments that canaccept one or more volt bars, thus eliminating the need for an auxiliarybatter carrier. The compartments can be on the side of a vehicle with orwithout a door, in the trunk, in the passenger compartment, etc. So longas volt bars can be accepted into a receptacle and the volt bar(s) canprovide charge to the vehicle or axillary charge to the main battery,the placement of the volt bar(s) is, in one embodiment, a designconfiguration.

In one embodiment, the volt bars utilized in the auxiliary batterycarrier can be replaced with fresh batteries purchased while the user ofthe electric vehicle is on a trip or a distance from the user's homebase. For instance, volt bars can be sold utilizing a kiosk system. Thekiosk system would, in one embodiment, store available volt bars thatcan be purchased by drivers of electric vehicles while away from theirhome base. For example, the kiosk system will provide one or a pluralityof receptacles for receiving volt bars that are depleted in charge, anddispense charged volt bars to users desiring to extend the range oftheir trip. The kiosk, in one embodiment, will be coupled to a powersource that can then recharge the volt bars and make them available toother users that trade in their charge de-pleaded volt bars.

If the user wishes to purchase volt bar without first returning acharged the depleted volt bar, the user can be charged a separate feethat is higher than if the user had returned a depleted volt bar. Thekiosk system would preferably be connected to the Internet so that usersof electric vehicles could access an application that would identifylocations of kiosk systems with available volt bars. In one embodiment,the application would include software that communicates with anapplication sitting in a central hub that manages all of the kiosksystems deployed in the field. The kiosk systems will also report thestatus of available volt bars, volt bars returned and in charging mode,available charging slots, inventory of volt bars, discounts available atparticular kiosk systems, and potential damage to volt bars that havebeen returned. By compiling this information, the kiosk system caninterface with the central hub, which provides information to usersaccessing an Internet application (mobile application), so that userscan locate the closest kiosk system or the closest kiosk system havingdiscounts.

In one embodiment, the discounts provided by the specific kiosk systemscan be programmed based on the desire to sell more volt bars at certainkiosk systems with excess inventory, or to encourage virtual routing ofvolt bars throughout geographic regions. For example, if trends aredetected by software operating on the central hub that volt bars aremigrating from East to West, a depleted inventory may be found in theEast. To encourage load balancing of inventory, discounts can beprovided in the West, which would then cause migration of volt barstoward the east. In one embodiment, each of the kiosk systems would beenabled with software that communicates with the central hub, and thesoftware would be utilized to provide the most efficient informationregarding inventory, and operational statistics of each kiosk systemdeployed throughout a geographic region (e.g., geo-location)

In another embodiment, each kiosk system may be configured with aninterface that receives payment data from the users. Example paymentreceipts may include credit card swiping interfaces, touchscreens forfacilitating Internet payment options (PayPal), coupon verification, andcommunication of deals with friends through a social networkingapplication. These applications can be facilitated by software operatingat the kiosk station, or by software executing on the users mobiledevice, or a combination of both. In still another embodiment, each ofthe volt bars that are installed in the various kiosk stations will betracked using tracking identifiers. In one embodiment, withoutlimitation, the tracking can be facilitated using RFID tags. The RFIDtags can be tracked as users purchase, return, and charge the depletedvolt bars at the various kiosk stations.

Additionally, the volt bars will include memory for storing informationregarding number of charges, the health of the battery cells, thecurrent charging levels, and other information. Additionally, the voltbars can store information regarding the various kiosk stations that thevolt bars have been previously been installed in, or received from. Allof this information can be obtained by the software running at the kioskstation, and communicated to the central hub. The central hub cantherefore use this information to monitor the health of the various voltbars and can inject new volt bars into the system at various locationswhen it is detected that the inventory is reaching its end of life.

In still another embodiment, the central hub can direct maintenancevehicles to remove damaged volt bars from kiosks, or insert new voltbars at certain kiosk locations. Because the central hub will know thefrequency of volt bar utilization at each of the kiosk locations, thecentral hub can dispatch maintenance vehicles and personnel to the mostoptimal location in the network of kiosk stations.

In another embodiment, a system for providing auxiliary charge to a mainbattery of an electric vehicles is provided. The system includes anauxiliary battery for holding a plurality of charge units, the auxiliarybattery being connectable to the main battery of the electric vehicle,the plurality of charge units being rechargeable and being replaceablefrom within the auxiliary battery, such that replacing particular onesof the plurality of charge units with charge units with more chargeincreases a total charge of the auxiliary battery. Also provided is akiosk for storing a plurality of charge units, the kiosk having, (i)slots for storing and recharging the plurality of charge units; (ii)control systems for communicating over a network, the control systemincludes logic for identifying inventory of charging units in the kioskand logic for processing payments and fee adjustments for charge unitsprovided or received in the slots of the kiosk. The system also includesa display for providing an interface for enabling transactions toprovide or receive charge units to customers. The system furtherprovides a central processing center that communicates with, (i) aplurality of said kiosk over a network, the central processing centerconfigured to provide for centralized rate changes to prices to chargefor the charge units at each of the plurality of kiosks, whereinchanging the price of the charge units is specific to each of the kiosksand is based on a plurality of metrics, including availability at eachkiosk and discounts, and (ii) a plurality of vehicles, the plurality ofvehicles being provided with access to availability information ofcharge units at each of said kiosks, the availability information beingcustom provided to the plurality of vehicles based on geo-location.

Another embodiment is for a method for providing charge options todrivers of electric vehicles. The method includes receiving dataconcerning charge providing availability from charge locations,receiving a request from processing logic of an electric vehicle, therequest identifying a desire to obtain charge, and determining a currentlocation of the electric vehicle. The method further includesdetermining identification of charge locations in proximity to theelectric vehicle and determining any sponsored rewards offered by thecharge locations. The method communicates to the electric vehicle a pathto one of the charge locations, the path identifying a sponsored rewardoffered at the charge location for the path.

In one embodiment, merchants are considered proximate or in closeproximity to a CU when the distance is within walking distance. Walkingdistance can be a location that is less than one mile. In anotherexample, walking distance can be a location that is less than 0.25miles. In another example, close proximity may be when the CU is withina city block, or in a same parking lot, or in a same building complex,or in a shared parking lot of one or more stores, or in the same block,or when the CU is at a designated parking lot or spots of a merchant orgroup of merchants. In general, close proximity is a measurableparameter, that is within walking distance, or the walking distance isnot further that a time needed to charge a vehicle. In this way, a humanuser can walk to the merchant while the electric vehicle is beingcharged at the CU. In one embodiment, the proximity can be a set value,data, a number, a range, a distance, a radius, a parking lot, a driveway, a number of parking slots. In one example, the proximity can bedefined by the merchant that provides the discount. For example, amerchant can define the proximity be 100 feet, e.g., between the CU andthe merchant location. The proximity value can be dynamically set by amerchant, can be set by a service, or can be a combination thereof.

Yet another embodiment, a computer processed method for providing chargeoptions to drivers of electric vehicles is provided. The electricvehicles have wireless access to a computer network. The method includesreceiving data concerning charge providing availability from chargelocations and receiving data concerning sponsored rewards offered by thecharge locations and rules for offering the sponsored rewards. Themethod receives a request from processing logic of an electric vehicle,and the request identifies a desire to obtain charge in route between acurrent location of the vehicle and a destination location. The methodincludes generating a plurality of paths that can be traversed by theelectric vehicle between the current location and the destinationlocation, where each of the paths identify possible charge locations atwhich the electric vehicle can be charged. Each of the possible chargelocations identifying any sponsored rewards offered if the electricvehicle obtains charge at the possible charge locations. The methodincludes forwarding the plurality of paths as options to the user of theelectric vehicle via a user interface. The sponsored rewards areidentified to the user to enable tradeoffs between length of path andreward obtained.

Methods and systems for providing charge options to drivers of electricvehicles are provided. One example method includes receiving dataconcerning charge providing availability from charge locations andreceiving a request from processing logic of an electric vehicle, therequest identifying a desire to obtain charge. The method includesdetermining a current location of the electric vehicle and determiningidentification of charge locations in proximity to the electric vehicle.The method further includes determining any sponsored rewards offered bythe charge locations and communicating to the electric vehicle a path toone of the charge locations, where the path is identified with asponsored reward offered at the charge location if the path is selectedand charge is obtained. The method can be processed by a server andpaths are communicated to vehicles to alert drivers of the electricvehicles of rewards or discounts if charge is obtained from certainlocations. Other embodiments that compliment sponsored paths forobtaining charge are described below, and relate to electric vehiclecharging and reduction of range anxiety.

Embodiments are also described for methods and systems for providingauxiliary charging mechanisms that can be integrated or coupled to avehicle, to supplement the main battery of a vehicle. The auxiliarycharging mechanism can be in the form of an auxiliary batterycompartment that can receive a plurality of charged batteries. Theauxiliary battery compartment can be charged with or without thevehicle, and can be installed or placed in the vehicle to providesupplemental charge to the vehicles main battery. Thus, if the mainbattery becomes depleted, the auxiliary battery compartment, having aplurality of charged batteries, can resume providing charge to thevehicle.

In other embodiments, the auxiliary battery can be one compartment thathas multiple smaller compartments for receiving volt bars (chargingunits), or other battery type charging devices. Further, the auxiliarybattery is shown interconnected to the main battery of the vehicle, orto a battery distribution or charge distribution-handling unit. In otherembodiments, the auxiliary battery can be inserted into side panels ofthe vehicle, in the front compartment of the vehicle, the floorboard ofthe vehicle, the site support structure of the vehicle, etc.

Cloud processing technology is also provided, which provides processingresources to connected vehicles through a distributed network. In oneembodiment, the cloud processing can communicate with various chargingstations using Internet connections, where charge Station metrics can beuploaded to the cloud processing system. The charge Station metrics caninclude availability of charge pumps, charge handles, charge plugs,charge mats (for wireless chagrining), volt bars, or other chargeproviding facilities.

Examples of such metrics can include the number of charge pumpsavailable at particular period of time, historical availability times ofthe charge pumps, typical charge time estimates at particular chargingstations, prices associated with the charge at the particular chargingstations, feedback from customers through social networks, concerningthe charging stations, and the like. The cloud processing can thenprocess the charge Station status, traffic information associated withlocations around or between charging stations and a user's currentlocation, and provide specific suggested routes. The route generator canprovide guided routes to the various charging stations (e.g., chargelocations), based on the users immediate needs, desire for discounts,sponsored rewards, or the amount of time it will take to obtain accessto a charge pump at a particular point in time. Broadly speaking, adiscount is a reward and a reward is a discount, and a sponsored rewardis a discount that is at least partially paid by another party for a thebenefit of the recipient of the reward.

The driver location processor can communicate the information concerningdrivers to the cloud processing logic, so as to provide the mosteffective information concerning charge availability to the variousdrivers. For example, users in their particular vehicles may have aconnected display or a portable device having access to the Internet.Based on the users' location and charging needs, (and optionally thedestination) the user can be provided with route options (e.g., one ormore optional paths). The route options can be, for example, the fastestand most available charge Station (or charge providing devices) to theusers current location, the cheapest charge available at a particularpoint in time, or information regarding charge prices for a particularfuture point in time.

Once the user selects a route option, the route generator can provideinformation concerning the charging station, and can also prepay or booka charging station slot. A charging station slot can include, forexample a parking spot in front of a charging station. The chargingstation slot can be reserved if the user decides to prepay for thecharging station, as a convenience. For example, if charging slots at aparticular charge Station appear to be heavily used, a user canpre-reserve a charging slots ahead of time, so that when the userarrives at the charging station, the charging slot will be immediatelyavailable. This could be considered a convenience fee associated withpre-reserving of a charging slot, along a particular route. In anotherembodiment, the charging station can provide incentives to users to cometo the particular charging station.

In one embodiment, when a vehicle arrives at a charging spot, thevehicle can be automatically identified. The identification of theelectric vehicle occurs in response to a communication system associatedwith charging pad negotiating a link (e.g., WiFi link, Bluetooth link,or a radio link) with a communication system of the electric vehicle. Inone example, negotiating the link occurs when the electric vehicle iswithin a charging distance to the charge pad. The charging distance maybe, for example, within a 10 feet separation of the vehicle and thecharging pad, or within 5 feet separation of the vehicle and thecharging pad, or within 2 feet separation of the vehicle and thecharging pad, or when the charging pad is within 2 feet of the chargecapturing unit of the vehicle (e.g., the charge receiving plate orstructure located under the vehicle). In one implementation, it isdesired that the vehicle start communicating with the charging pad, acomputer of the charging pad, a computer near the charging pad, or thelike, so that the vehicle can get identified quickly, and charge canstart to occur soon after the vehicle comes to rest, if the vehicle isassociated with a user account that is pre-authorized to receive chargefrom the network of charging units (CUs), such as the current chargingpad. In one embodiment, charge is transferred to the battery of theelectric vehicle automatically after the link is established and astatus of the user account is validated.

For example, if the user prepays for charge at a particular chargingstation, the charging station can provide a discount on the chargeprovided. For example, if the charging station wishes to fill aplurality a charging slots during a particular slow time, the chargingstation can communicate with the cloud processing and publishavailability of its charging stations per particular period of time. Adatabase associated with cloud processing will hold this information soit can be dynamically updated and accessed in real-time by users to filltheir charging needs of their electric vehicles. During that particularperiod of time, the charging station can offer discounts or rewards tousers so that drivers can decide to visit the charging station insteadof another charging station. Still further, charging stations can offerdiscounts for users to use the particular charging station, and thediscounts can be offered by more than one party or entity. For instance,if the charging stations are located near a particular business, thatparticular business can sponsor discounts or rewards at the chargingstation to drive traffic to or near that particular business. When usersare charging their vehicles at the particular station near theparticular business, users can spend their time at the particularbusiness while their vehicle is being charged.

Potentially, the owners of the particular business that sponsored thediscounts can increase traffic to their business and increase sales. Inanother embodiment, the owners of the particular business can offerdiscounts to their business products or services, if the businessproducts or services or located near or beside the charging station. Aswill be described below, other embodiments can include having chargingstation pumps or handles or plugs, located in nontraditional chargingstation configurations. For example, charging plugs can be installed atvarious nontraditional locations, such as parking lots of retail stores.Other examples locations can include, without limitation, parks, citystreets, parking garages, post offices, government areas, schools,offices complexes or campuses, coffee shops, malls, strip malls, boxstore parking lots, beach parking, homes, public roads, etc. If a largeretail store has a large parking lot, a portion of that parking lot canbe dedicated for charging plugs, which can be used by customers whilethe customers shop at the retail location. In such a situation, theowners of the retail store that have charging plugs assigned toparticular parking spots, can publish availability of those chargingplugs through the cloud processing network.

The cloud-processing network can then publish availability and pricesfor users that may be driving around, or may be passing by the retailstore along a particular path or route. In some embodiments, the retailstore can offer significant discounts for charge, if users charge theirvehicles at the charging plugs of the retail store. While the userscharge their vehicles, the users may visit the retail store and purchasegoods or services, which is a reward for the retailer that is offeringthe discount for the charge. In still another embodiment, retail storeshaving charge plugs can advertise availability of the charge plugs (andparking spots) in real time, and provide discounts or deals to usersthat may wish to charge at the particular retail location.

The discounts can be for the goods and services of the retail store, orsimple discounts on the charge provided by the charge plugs of theretail store. As noted above, one embodiment would allow the parkingspots having the charge plugs to be reserved and advance, to provideadditional convenience to users. In such a configuration, the parkingspots can include mechanical barriers that lift and close to allowvehicles to come into and leave the particular parking spots. Thus if aparking spot is reserved, the mechanical barrier can remain closed untilthe vehicle having the code can communicate access to lift themechanical barrier so that charging can commence immediately uponarriving at the reserved parking spot. In another embodiment, thecharging station or plug can include a monitor or display that indicateswhether or not the charging plug is reserved.

If the charging plug is reserved, no other user can park in front of theparking spot, or else received a ticket or fine for parking in a parkingspot that's been reserved. The parking spot reservation for charge canbe made in advance; such as while user is driving around smart phone, oran integrated device of the vehicle that has access to the Internetmakes looking for charge and the reservation. The transaction can alsoallow a user that is searching for charge to pre-pay for the chargeusing a graphical user interface or other exchange mechanism, associatedwith the route and reservation of a particular charge station or slot.In some embodiments, the charge stations or plugs can be placed inshared parking lots or locations where multiple retail outlets reside.

In such a case, multiple retailers can provide discounts to users tocome and use the charging stations located at the retailer's locations.These discounts can then be published to the cloud processing logic.These discounts can also be published dynamically at the request of theprovider of the charge, using an Internet portal that allows the user toparticipate in a network of charge stations that provide discounts. Insuch embodiments, the discounts can be provided by multiple retailersfor their goods and services, and the plug can be located in the sharedparking lot. Having this information, the cloud processing cancommunicate with a route generator to generate various routes (e.g.,paths) that are optimized to the user's desired outcome.

The optimization can be to route a user for charge along a plurality ofcharge stations or plugs that provide discounts. If this is the goal ofthe user, the route may be longer than other routes, but the discountsmay be greater. Such routes may be viewed as a sponsored path thatrequires a user to traverse a particular route in order to obtain chargefor their vehicle. The sponsored routes can change dynamically overtime, as sponsors decide to add or remove discounts. Thus, a user thatfinds a good path may wish to buy now, to avoid losing the discount. Ifa particular charge station or chart plug has a lot of customers duringa particular period to time, the discounts may drop dynamically. If thecharge plug for station experiences low activity, the discounts may beincreased dynamically. The dynamic adjustment of discounts can occurbased on a preset number of rules (e.g., what discount, where offered,when offered, how long it lasts, incentives for fast buy, logic forcombining discounts, logic for sharing costs of discounts with others,logic for reducing the cost of the charge, etc.), as set by the providerthe charge and/or the sponsor.

The cost for the charge can also be provided with a green rating, whichsignifies how efficient the charge station is in supplying charge, andthe location and source of the charge provided by the charging station.If the charging station obtains charge from wind power, the green ratingwould be high. If the charge station receives its charge from fossilfuels, the green rating may be lower. If the charging station receivesis charge from a variety of different sources, whether solar, wind, orfossil fuel, the green rating can be adjusted. This metric informationcan then be provided to the cloud processing to allow users of electricvehicles to decide whether or not to visit a particular charge stationor charge plug.

In some embodiments, the price of the charge may be more expensive ifthe green rating is very high, but the charge value to the user may behigh, if the user wishes to obtain a very high green rating, and a lowercarbon footprint.

For example if the user wishes to replace the vehicle, the user cansimply click a button, select an icon, touch a screen, speak a command,gesture an input, etc., to figure out what his vehicle value is, thecost of a replacement vehicle, and the total cost after exchange. Thisinformation can be useful to the user in deciding whether or not totrade in the vehicle or remain with the current vehicle and makeinvestments in repairs. As shown, the data exchange between vehicles andthe vehicles and the cloud processing can be extensive, but suchinformation can be made available to drivers of those vehicles to makeinformed decisions.

The drivers can also be provided with information of the duration of thediscount, so that drivers can obtain the discount if they have the timeto traversed the path, or avoid the path if the discount will not bepresent when the driver arrives at that application. In anotherembodiment, the logic in the vehicle or the processing system in thecloud processing can determine whether or not the user would be able toarrive at each of the charging stations or plugs to receive the sponsordiscounts. This analysis can include, for example, reviewing trafficpatterns, travel speeds and estimates to traverse the differentdistances, time of day, etc.

In some embodiments, the discounts are provided by a combination of thecharge station and retail shops nearby. In other embodiments, the retailshops and plugs/charge providers can provide combined packages ofdiscounts, which could drive users to their location. Accordingly, itshould be understood that the dynamic generation of paths could besponsored, such that the user can be provided with identification ofcharging locations along a particular path, and the discounts that maybe provided along those particular paths.

Again, the information displayed to the user can be displayed in thevehicle's display screen or can be displayed on the users display device(e.g. smart phone, computer, tablet, etc.).

Broadly speaking and without limitation, obtaining charge will includeplugging the vehicle into a charging receptacle so as to charge thenative battery of the vehicle. In another embodiment, obtaining chargecan also include refilling on volt bars to replenish volt bars that havebeen used during the vehicle usage. In other embodiments, charge can betransferred to a vehicle wirelessly (e.g., without plugging in an outletor receptacle). Examples can include a transfer surface that the vehicleparts over, and the charge can be transferred wirelessly to the vehiclevia conductors on the underside of the vehicle. The vehicle can simplypart in the slot and once payment is made; the charge can start to flowcapacitively or wirelessly to the electric vehicle.

As can be appreciated, the sponsored path process can provide a quickand efficient manner for allowing the user to identify their desiredendpoint, and provide options for traversing a path to that and point.Along that endpoint, the user can be provided with discounts for chargeby sponsors, which can influence or drive people to their chargingoutlets. The discounts can also be provided in a hybrid manner, such asproviding discounts for the charge and discounts with in the retailoutlets that are located proximate to the charging stations.

Providing this information to drivers in real time is efficient for bothdrivers and the retail locations. Drivers in their electric vehicleswill need charge, and providers of the charge will benefit from drivingusers to their location. If the user is still progressing along theirdesired path, the providers of the discount are simply providing aservice and driving customers to their location, where the drivers maypurchase other goods and services while the vehicle is being charged.

In one embodiment, the sponsored paths may be generated on electronicsand circuitry of the vehicle or by processing in the cloud processingsystem (e.g. networked Internet systems). In some embodiments, thesponsor paths may be processed partially on the vehicle and partially onthe cloud processing system. In some embodiments, the sponsored pathswould be dynamically generated on the cloud processing system, and thevehicle or smart phone of the user would simply connect to the cloudprocessing system.

The data exchange can therefore be dynamically set to be real time, suchthat providers of the discounts, providers of the charge, and drivers ofthe vehicles can exchange information. In this example, the provided tothe charge can provide discount information, incentives, etc., and thedrivers of the vehicles can provide information concerning their desiredpaths. The processing system can then generate a plurality of optionsfor the user to traverse from point A to point B. For example, the usercan select to traverse a sponsored path, to a particular address. Thedisplay the vehicle can then requested the user identify whether or nota sponsored path is desired.

It will be obvious, however, to one skilled in the art, that the presentinvention may be practiced without some or all of these specificdetails. In other instances, well known process operations have not beendescribed in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the presentinvention.

In some implementations, features from one disclosed embodiment may becombined with features of another disclosed embodiment to definespecific configurations, methods, system or apparatus.

In some implementations, the learning and predicting embodiments mayutilize learning and prediction algorithms that are used in machinelearning. In one embodiment, certain algorithms may look to patterns ofinput, inputs to certain user interfaces, inputs that can be identifiedto biometric patterns, inputs for neural network processing, inputs formachine learning (e.g., identifying relationships between inputs, andfiltering based on geo-location and/or vehicle state, in real-time),logic for identifying or recommending a result or a next input, a nextscreen, a suggested input, suggested data that would be relevant for aparticular time, geo-location, state of a vehicle, and/or combinationsthereof. In one embodiment, use of machine learning enables the vehicleto learn what is needed by the user, at a particular time, in view ofone or more operating/status state of the vehicle, in view of one ormore state of one or more sensors of the vehicle. Thus, one or moreinputs or data presented to the user may be provided without an explicitinput, request or programming by a user at that time. In one embodiment,reference is made to learning and prediction, wherein both terms may bereferencing the same or similar function, e.g., looking at userinteractions, preferences, tendencies, etc., in order to identify orselect a particular type of data that may be useful for the user basedon the learning or prediction. In other embodiments, learning may bedefined closer to the traditional sense of machine learning, patternlearning, historical data input analysis, etc., while prediction is maybe defined closer to the traditional sense of identifying some data,which is predicted to be relevant based on analysis of the context inwhich the data is predicted. In still other embodiments, prediction andlearning may be hybrids, used in conjunction for providing contextuallyrelevant supplemental content to a vehicle, user account, user device,or some target associated with a user account or profile.

Overtime, machine learning can be used to reinforce learned behavior,which can provide weighting to certain inputs. For instance, the moretimes a user turns on the windshield wipers when it is raining, andwithin two minutes of turning on the car, may signal that this patternsis likely to happen again. In another example, if a user stops to chargehis vehicle at a particular charge station, which is 20 miles from hishome, repeatedly on Tuesdays, at 6 pm, when nobody is a passenger in thevehicle, and the vehicle had less than 5% charge, may be used as astrong pattern that this may occur again in the future. This data,combined with other data, may be used to recommend data regarding thecharge station in advance, so that the user need no look up the chargestation to reserve a spot, or the like. It should be understood thatthese are just simplified examples to convey examples of recommendationswhich may be based on some learning, preferences or pattern analysis, orlikelihoods.

Thus, context awareness across multiple dimensions will allow for moreaccurate predictions, learning (e.g., by building and refining behaviormodels), and surfacing/suggesting recommendations of supplementalcontent or settings, when it is most probable or likely or useful, orneeded by the user or vehicle and user, or relevant at a current orproximate or near or destination geo-location.

For purposes of providing example ways of processing learningalgorithms, machine learning methods, predictions, data analysis, andthe like, without limitations to any specifically claimed embodiment,reference may be made to a book entitled “Introduction to MachineLearning”, Second Edition, by Ethem Alpaydin, The MIT Press (ISBN978-0-262-01243-0), Cambridge, Mass., London England (2010), which isherein incorporated by reference for all purposes.

In one embodiment, a display of a vehicle can include one or moredisplays. For example, a display screen of the vehicle may include anyone or more of a main dashboard display, or a center console display, ora combined main dashboard and center console display, or a surfacedisplay, or a glass surface, or a windshield display, or a windowdisplay, or a touch surface display, or a headrest display, or a movabledisplay, or a wireless display, or a wire-connected display, orcombinations thereof.

In one embodiment, biometrics may be associated to the user account. Thebiometrics may be used to monitor use of the vehicle and determine ifthe custom user interfaces is to be enabled, or if a guest custom userinterface is to be enabled, or if public custom user interface is to beenabled, or identify an interaction mode. The user account may includeprofile data defining when particular custom user interfaces are to beenabled or interactions modes are to be used. The biometrics may includeone or more of image data of a driver's face, a passenger's face, afinger print, a retina scan, a signature, a gesture, a user input, alogin, a key, a paring device, or combinations of two or more thereof.

In some embodiments, passengers may be able to connect to a Wi-Fi orInternet connection provided by the vehicle. This connection canidentify the other devices are contained or located within the vehicle.This information can be used to provide those specific devices access tocertain controls of the vehicle. The controls provided can be based onlearning associated with previous privileges granted by the primary useraccount in the vehicle, which is typically the driver. For moreinformation on sharing vehicle controls to user devices, reference maybe made to U.S. application Ser. No. 14/222,670, entitled “Methods andSystems for Providing Access to Specific Vehicle Controls, Functions,Environment and Applications to Guests/Passengers via Personal MobileDevices,” which is incorporated herein by reference.

Embodiments of the present invention may be practiced with variouscomputer system configurations including hand-held devices,microprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumerelectronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers and the like. Theinvention can also be practiced in distributed computing environmentswhere tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linkedthrough a wire-based or wireless network.

With the above embodiments in mind, it should be understood that theinvention could employ various computer-implemented operations involvingdata stored in computer systems. These operations are those requiringphysical manipulation of physical quantities. Usually, though notnecessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magneticsignals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared andotherwise manipulated.

Any of the operations described herein that form part of the inventionare useful machine operations. The invention also relates to a device oran apparatus for performing these operations. The apparatus can bespecially constructed for the required purpose, or the apparatus can bea general-purpose computer selectively activated or configured by acomputer program stored in the computer. In particular, variousgeneral-purpose machines can be used with computer programs written inaccordance with the teachings herein, or it may be more convenient toconstruct a more specialized apparatus to perform the requiredoperations.

The invention can also be embodied as computer readable code on acomputer readable medium. The computer readable medium is any datastorage device that can store data, which can thereafter be read by acomputer system. The computer readable medium can also be distributedover a network-coupled computer system so that the computer readablecode is stored and executed in a distributed fashion.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail forpurposes of clarity of understanding, it will be apparent that certainchanges and modifications can be practiced within the scope of theappended claims. Accordingly, the present embodiments are to beconsidered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is notto be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified withinthe scope and equivalents of the description and claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A cloud system configured to execute methodoperations for communicating with connected vehicles of users havinguser accounts with the cloud system and charging units, the methodcomprising, receiving a signal from of an electric vehicle that isassociated to a user account, the signal of the electric vehicle isreceived in response to the electric vehicle parking over a charging padof a charging unit, the charging unit being one of a plurality ofcharging units located in various geo-locations; sending instructions tothe charging unit to enable initiation of charge transfer to a batteryof the electric vehicle upon the cloud system confirming that the useraccount for the electric vehicle is enabled for automatic charging uponparking over said charging pad of the charging unit; and receiving datafrom the charging unit indicative of a discontinuing of the chargetransfer by the charging pad responsive to detecting that the electricvehicle is no longer parked over said charging pad; wherein a server ofthe cloud system is configured to identify at least one discount to bepresented to a device associated with the electric vehicle, theidentifying being a result of filtering discounts based on userpreferences associated with the user account and a proximity of amerchant location to said charging unit having the charging pad overwhich the electric vehicle has parked; and sending the at least onediscount to the device associated with the electric vehicle upondetermining use of the charging pad by the electric vehicle.
 2. Thecloud system of claim 1, wherein said automatic charging is furtherenabled to occur when the signal from the electric vehicle received bythe cloud system includes information indicative that a conductor of theelectric vehicle is oriented over the charge pad to enable inductivetransfer of power to said battery of the electric vehicle from a powersupply connected to the charging pad of the charging unit.
 3. The cloudsystem of claim 1, wherein the cloud system includes one or more serversfor communicating with said plurality of charging units, wherein saiduser account is configured for pre-authorization of payment data toenable said charge transfer.
 4. The cloud system of claim 1, wherein thecharging pad is configured to transfer power via inductors disposed onan underside of the electric vehicle and inductors associated with thecharging pad.
 5. The cloud system of claim 1, wherein one or moreservers of the cloud system have access to a network associated withsaid plurality of charging units, the method processed by the cloudsystem is configured to, receive data to identify presence of electricvehicles over one or more charging pads and track said automaticcharging during a period of time when specific ones of electric vehiclesare present over the charging pads of the charge units.
 6. The cloudsystem of claim 1, wherein the filtering excludes discounts formerchants that are beyond the proximity of the charging unit.
 7. Thecloud system of claim 1, wherein one or more servers of the cloud systemhave access to a network of charging units, the method processed by thecloud system is configured to, manage received discounts published bythe merchants, the discounts being published with an identification of ageo-location or charge units for which the discounts are to beassociated and an expiration time for the discounts.
 8. The cloud systemof claim 1, wherein the user preferences associated with the useraccount are received as explicit preferences or are learned from usewith the user account based on past actions made via the user account.9. The cloud system of claim 1, wherein additional discounts are sent tothe device associated with the electric vehicle, wherein selection ofone of the discounts and use of the discounts are tracked to buildlearned preferences for the user account; and wherein preferences forthe user account are compared to other user accounts to identifysimilarities in preferences and/or actual use of discounts previouslysent, the similarities being used to refine selection of discounts forthe user account.
 10. The cloud system of claim 1, wherein the deviceassociated with the electric vehicle is a computer integrated with theelectric vehicle and uses a display of the electric vehicle or is aportable device.
 11. The cloud system of claim 1, wherein the discountis validated or used when redeemed at the merchant location, thediscount being accessible via the device by access to the user accountover the Internet, and wherein the discount is a reduced price of a goodor service offered at the merchant location or a reduction in price forcharge obtained by the electric vehicle at the charge unit.
 12. Thecloud system of claim 1, wherein a discount is conditioned on transferof an amount of charge to the electric vehicle as obtained from one ofthe charge units, or conditioned on confirmation of purchase of a goodor service from a merchant location.
 13. The cloud system of claim 1,wherein the proximity of the merchant location to the charge unit iswithin walking distance that is less than one mile.
 14. The cloud systemof claim 1, wherein the transfer of charge is via inductive couplingbetween a conductive plate disposed in an undersurface of the electricvehicle, the conductive plate being oriented over the charging pad toenable said inductive coupling, the inductive coupling being optimizedwhen the conductive plate is more aligned than not with the charging padof the charge unit.
 15. The cloud system of claim 1, wherein the useraccount includes a setting for a personal level of privacy, the personallevel of privacy sets limits on tracking of the electric vehicle. 16.Non-transitory computer readable media having computer executableprogram instructions for communicating with connected vehicles of usershaving user accounts with a cloud system, the computer readable mediacomprising, program instructions for receiving a signal from of anelectric vehicle that is associated to a user account, the signal of theelectric vehicle is received in response to the electric vehicle parkingover a charging pad of a charging unit, the charging unit being one of aplurality of charging units located in various geo-locations; programinstructions for sending instructions to the charging unit to enableinitiation of charge transfer to a battery of the electric vehicle uponthe cloud system confirming that the user account for the electricvehicle is enabled for automatic charging upon parking over saidcharging pad of the charging unit; and program instructions forreceiving data from the charging unit indicative of a discontinuing ofthe charge transfer by the charging pad responsive to detecting that theelectric vehicle is no longer parked over said charging pad; wherein aserver of the cloud system is configured to execute, programinstructions to identify at least one discount to be presented to adevice associated with the electric vehicle, the identifying being aresult of filtering discounts based on user preferences associated withthe user account and a proximity of a merchant location to said chargingunit having the charging pad over which the vehicle has parked; andprogram instructions for sending the at least one discount to the deviceassociated with the electric vehicle upon determining use of thecharging pad by the electric vehicle.
 17. The non-transitory computerreadable media of claim 16, wherein said user account is configured forpre-authorization of payment data to further enable said charge transferand said automatic charging occurs when a conductor of the electricvehicle is detected to be oriented over the charge pad, and the transferof charge is via inductive coupling between a conductive plate disposedin an undersurface of the electric vehicle, the conductive plate beingoriented over the charging pad to enable said inductive coupling, theinductive coupling being optimized when the conductive plate is morealigned than not with the charging pad of the charge unit.
 18. Thenon-transitory computer readable media of claim 16, wherein one or moreservers of the cloud system have access to a network associated withsaid plurality of charging units, and the computer readable media havingprogram instructions for receiving data to identify presence of electricvehicles over one or more charging pads and further enable at least partof said automatic charging.
 19. The non-transitory computer readablemedia of claim 16, wherein the device associated with the electricvehicle is a computer integrated with the electric vehicle and uses adisplay of the electric vehicle or is a portable device.